This coin shows the man who is generally believed to be the greatest hockey player of all time - Wayne Gretzky - along with his dad Walter. This was a 2011 coin from the Royal Canadian Mint and is 99.99% pure silver, 1 ounce in size and has a $25 face value.
Wayne Gretzky's iconic image and 99 jersey number are featured prominently on this coin along with the face of his father Walter. It is a nice looking coin with Wayne in full hockey gear and a holographic image of the number 99. The mirror finish on the coin is excellent and the detailing is fantastic. The mintage for this coin is 19,999 (again related to the number 99).
As a hockey fan, I am very pleased to own this coin. This is especially true since the National Hockey League lockout has caused 1/2 of the current season to be missed, so I am excited to have hockey back! I also show a few other pieces of hockey related silver - my 2010 Vancouver Olympics silver hockey coin and my Mark Messier silver round.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
2005 Lynx 4 Coin Silver Set (1 Oz, 1/2 Oz, 1/4 Oz, 1/10 Oz)
A set of four coins from the Royal Canadian Mint. Each coin is 99.99% pure silver and feature images on lynx. The interesting thing about these coins is that they were sold as a set and contain fractional coins as well as a full ounce coin. The artwork on each coin are different, so these are not just smaller versions of the same coin. The 1 Oz coin has a face value of $5, the 1/2 Oz coin is $4, 1/4 Oz coin $3 and 1/10 Oz coin $2. So in total, the set has 1.85 Oz of pure silver and a face value of $14.
I find the artwork on these to be quite nice and love the progressively smaller coins. I think the Royal Canadian Mint does a great job with their nature coins and this set is no exception. I am very happy I purchased it. The total mintage for this set was 15,000 sets so it is relatively rare.
Monday, January 7, 2013
The Difference Between a Silver Coin and a Silver Round
I get quite a few emails and questions about the difference between a silver coin and a silver round. This video answers that by showing the difference between a silver coin and a silver round. While they both appear the same, there are some subtle and not-so-subtle differences between the two. The differences are shown between a Silver Maple Leaf coin and a round from a sports memorabilia company.
Buyer Beware: 2009 Support our Troops and 2009 Pink Ribbon Maple Leaf Coins
Here are two coins that seem like official Silver Maple Leaf Coins but are actually aftermarket modifications. This video is to show you two such coins that I found floating around (the 2009 Support our Troops and 2009 Pink Ribbon coins) that the makers try to pass off as official Silver Maple Leaf Coins. Beware, don't overpay for these coins since they are not rare and are not official Royal Canadian Mint coins.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Video: 2011 1/2 Oz. Silver Maple Leaf Forever
Here is a video of the 2011 Silver Maple Leaf Forever coin to go along with my blog post. Nothing like seeing silver in video form!
2011 1/2 Oz Maple Leaf Forever
Just got this one today. This was the first day it was released by the Royal Canadian Mint and I went and bought one as soon as possible.
As you can see, the coin is a slightly different take on the Silver Maple Leaf coins that we know and love. Instead of a single leaf we can see three maple leaves on a branch. Another difference from the usual is that this coin is half the size (1/2 Oz.) and twice the value ($10). Pretty nice coin I must say. Here is how the designer describes the coins:
I expect this coin to go fast. The mintage was limited to 100,000 coins and considering how inexpensive it is (being only a 1/2 ounce coin). Just look at the past smaller coins they have released, like the 1/2 Oz. Wolf coin, and they always sell at a huge premium. Earlier this year the mint released a $20 1/4 Oz. silver coin and it flew off the shelves, so that is why I didn't wait at all to get this coin. In general, any limited mintage Silver Maple Leaf coin is going to sell fast.
Here is what the included certificate says:
Here is a video of the coin:
As you can see, the coin is a slightly different take on the Silver Maple Leaf coins that we know and love. Instead of a single leaf we can see three maple leaves on a branch. Another difference from the usual is that this coin is half the size (1/2 Oz.) and twice the value ($10). Pretty nice coin I must say. Here is how the designer describes the coins:Three leaves of northeastern Canada's important Sugar Maple on the reverse. Prized as the world's best source of sap for maple syrup, this iconic Canadian tree is also widely revered for the stunning spectrum of its foliage coloration in autumn, which varies from bright yellows, reds, and oranges to the deepest purple.
I expect this coin to go fast. The mintage was limited to 100,000 coins and considering how inexpensive it is (being only a 1/2 ounce coin). Just look at the past smaller coins they have released, like the 1/2 Oz. Wolf coin, and they always sell at a huge premium. Earlier this year the mint released a $20 1/4 Oz. silver coin and it flew off the shelves, so that is why I didn't wait at all to get this coin. In general, any limited mintage Silver Maple Leaf coin is going to sell fast.
Here is what the included certificate says:
2011 $10 Fine Silver Coin
Maple Leaf Forever
From backpackers in Berlin to peacekeepers in Pakistan, Canadians are immediately identifiable by a singular image they faithfully sport on pins, badges and appliques: the red maple leaf.
This lyrical cipher has symbolized Canada and Canadians for nearly three hundred years. Historians generally recognize the adoption of the maple leaf by Quebec's Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Montreal in 1836 as the first official use of the symbol to represent an element of Canadian culture.
The symbol was soon popularized in print, song and in the small markers - such as lapel pins - with which Canadian residents of various origins honoured their homelands. The English had their roses, the Scots their thistle, the Irish their shamrocks, and the French their fleur-de-lis - and native-born Canadians quickly chose the prosaic maple leaf.
The idea of including the maple leaf on Canada's national flag took root with Lester B. Pearson in World War I, when he noted that every Canadian battalion had included some form of the maple leaf in its insignia. Fifty years later, in 1965, under his leadership as prime minister, Canada's famous red-and-white maple leaf flag was born.
In addition to the maple leaf's presence on various provincial flags and coats of arms, the country's coinage has featured maple leaves, wreaths, and boughs in various forms for most of Canada's history. In fact, the maple leaf was present on all Canadian coins from 1876 to 1901. Since that time, it has always appeared on Canadian pennies.
Maple Leaf Forever
From backpackers in Berlin to peacekeepers in Pakistan, Canadians are immediately identifiable by a singular image they faithfully sport on pins, badges and appliques: the red maple leaf.
This lyrical cipher has symbolized Canada and Canadians for nearly three hundred years. Historians generally recognize the adoption of the maple leaf by Quebec's Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Montreal in 1836 as the first official use of the symbol to represent an element of Canadian culture.
The symbol was soon popularized in print, song and in the small markers - such as lapel pins - with which Canadian residents of various origins honoured their homelands. The English had their roses, the Scots their thistle, the Irish their shamrocks, and the French their fleur-de-lis - and native-born Canadians quickly chose the prosaic maple leaf.
The idea of including the maple leaf on Canada's national flag took root with Lester B. Pearson in World War I, when he noted that every Canadian battalion had included some form of the maple leaf in its insignia. Fifty years later, in 1965, under his leadership as prime minister, Canada's famous red-and-white maple leaf flag was born.
In addition to the maple leaf's presence on various provincial flags and coats of arms, the country's coinage has featured maple leaves, wreaths, and boughs in various forms for most of Canada's history. In fact, the maple leaf was present on all Canadian coins from 1876 to 1901. Since that time, it has always appeared on Canadian pennies.
Here is a video of the coin:
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Fun of Blogging!
I have been running this blog for almost two years now and in that time I have received dozens of messages thanking me for maintaining this site (I also maintain some Wikipedia articles related to the topics on this blog). I just wanted to say I am very glad everyone enjoys my blog and hope that you continue to enjoy precious metals as much as I do! I have a blast writing it since it is a topic I am very passionate about.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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