Royal Canadian Mint Issues Coin Minted of Pure Nunavut Gold in Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Canada's Newest Territory
The coin is entirely Arctic, from its design to its metal content
Ottawa, Ontario, June 26, 2019 – In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Nunavut Territory, the Royal Canadian Mint has proudly issued a new collector coin crafted entirely of Nunavut-sourced gold. The coin recaptures, in 99.99% pure gold, Germaine Arnaktauyok's iconic drummer design that first appeared on the $2 circulation coin celebrating of Nunavut's creation in 1999. The beautifully crafted coin is available for purchase as of today.
"The Mint is passionate about honouring Canadian talent and celebrating our exceptional cultural diversity through beautifully crafted coins," said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "We are proud to honour Germaine Arnaktauyok's artistic legacy, in pure Nunavut gold, to wish the people of this important territory a happy 20th anniversary."
The coin is crafted from 99.99% pure gold, mined at Agnico Eagle Mines' Meadowbank mine, near Baker Lake, and TMAC Resources' mine at Hope Bay. In the same tradition as the Mint's first Nunavut-sourced coin issued in 2018, this 1/10 oz. gold coin is struck on a thin, yet wide blank that gives its Arctic-themed reverse design more room to shine. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
"Agnico Eagle is honoured and proud that gold from our Meadowbank mine is part of this special Royal Canadian Mint collectible coin commemorating Nunavut's 20th anniversary", said Sean Boyd, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Agnico Eagle Mines. "We are also extremely proud to be working with our Inuit partners to responsibly develop the resources in Nunavut in a way that contributes to the economic and social prosperity of the territory."
The 2019 $20 pure gold 1/10 oz. coin – 20th Anniversary of Nunavut has a limited mintage of 1,500 and retails for $359.95. It can be ordered by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the United States, or online at www.mint.ca. The coin will soon be available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.
Images of the coin are available here.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. The Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
For more information, media are asked to contact:
Alex Reeves
Senior Manager, Public Affairs
reeves@mint.ca