Saturday, October 18, 2014

Commemorative coins : Canada 1867-1967 - 03

The highest values of the 1967 centennial coins are the 50 cent and the dollar coin.
All credits for the coloured pictures go to Patrick Glassford.
50 cent

"The wolf, unfortunately no longer common, is here symbolic of the vastness and loneliness of Canada, and thus of our tradition and to a degree, of our present condition. Yet the wolf is not a pathetic creature."... said David A. Coleville in 1965


50 cents - 1/2 dollar centennial 1967

wolf - 50 cents
The noble wolf has made a bit of comeback in Canada since the 50 cent piece was released. The province of Ontario repealed its bounty on wolves in 1973. Quebec still has towns that occasionally offer a bounty, and British Columbia uses poison or traps to kill wolves who endanger livestock. There is not ONE recorded instance of a wolf killing a human.( although movies and books would have you believe different) The howling of a wolf or their pack is an eerie yet spectacular sound.(I have heard it in the bush) They are quite intelligent animals. The regular 50 cent piece would have had a Canadian Coat of Arms on it.

Mintage :  4,211,395 - 80% silver, 20% copper

1 Dollar

David A. Colville said about the dollar coin he designed :
"The Canada goose seems appropriate for the dollar since it is one of our most majestic creatures and is particularly Canadian. There are other associations with traveling over great spaces, and a kind of serene dynamic quality in this bird."

1 dollar -

The Canada Goose, perhaps Canadas most famous bird, can travel more than 600 miles in one day flying in their famous V-shape. The 1967 dollar coin was the last true 'Silver Dollar' as they were not made of any silver content after that year.

1 dollar - flying goose
Mintage :    6,767,496 - 80% silver, 20% copper
Design :  David A. Coleville and Myron Cook

 ... to be continued ...

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