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Reimagined 1905 Arms of Dominion of Canada
Presented by
Royal Canadian Mint
Nominal value
2 500 dollars
Weight
1 006,1 g
Diameter
101,6 mm
Metal
Gold 999°
Mintage
25 pcs
Production quality
Proof Quality, with intricate engraving
Designer
Cathy Boursey-Sabourin
Producer
Royal Canadian Mint
Description of obverse and reverse
The reverse design centres around the seven- province shield used in Canada from the 1870s to the early twentieth century. It bears the arms of the four founding provinces (Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) and of those that soon after joined Confederation (Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island). The central shield is surmounted by a stylized royal crown. At its base is a beaver and a ribbon bearing the bilingual text “DOMINION OF/DU CANADA”. Flanking the central shield are four individual versions of the shields of the founding provinces on the right. Each of these shields is encircled by a laurel wreath. The background is filled with stylized maple leaves.
The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.
A brief annotation
The richly detailed coin was inspired by a popular historic postcard from 1899, a time when it was common for collectibles like postcards and commemorative dishware to feature a country’s arms.
The reverse of this exceptional coin centres on the seven-province shield that was widely used in Canada, both officially and unofficially, from the 1870s to the early twentieth century. The imagery includes the arms of Canada’s four founding provinces at Confederation (Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick) as well as those of Manitoba (which joined in 1870), British Columbia (1871) and Prince Edward Island (1873). The four shields of the founding provinces are also individually highlighted, encircled by laurel wreaths.
