2012 (1962-) Canadian $20 Coast Guard (CCG) 50th Anniversary Proof Silver Coin & Steel Gift Set

2012 (1962-) Canadian $20 Coast Guard (CCG) 50th Anniversary Proof Silver Coin & Steel Gift Set

Service, Safety, Sovereignty: The Canadian Coast Guard Celebrates 50 Years

The year 2012 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard. This important Canadian marine service was created in 1962 to support mariners in Canadian waters, conduct search and rescue services, maintain Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic and in coastal waters, respond to technical advances in its domain, and address issues associated with growing vessel traffic.

Features

- This unique fine silver coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard features detailed engraving to highlight the design of the marine service’s flagship icebreaker, CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.
- Each coin is accompanied by a vial containing a small piece of steel from the bow of CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent taken during its refitting to keep the vessel operating until its replacement can be commissioned in 2017. This refitting process is symbolic of the life-cycle of all CCG ships, making the steel piece an exceptional memento of both the history of the Canadian Coast Guard and the historic CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.

Design

This 99.99% fine silver coin has a diameter of 38 millimetres and weighs 31.39 grams. The reverse image features Canadian artist Yves Bérubé’s striking portrait of CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent hard at work in the frozen waters of the Canadian Arctic. The portrait of the massive ship sits at the centre of the polished field, framed by a porthole window complete with engraved hinge, rivets, and two locks. Beyond this window the bow of the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, as well as its starboard side, are visible in three-quarter profile, approaching the viewer. The vessel’s bridge, hull, cabin, and upper decks are drawn and engraved in minute detail. The massive bow, propelled by engines of massive power, cuts the field of ice between the vessel and the porthole into jagged chunks that line the hull.

This image of the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent was inspired by the artist’s own harrying experience, when a ship he was travelling on became locked in sea ice. Viewing CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent through a porthole on his trapped ship as the icebreaker approached to help release his vessel from the ice, Bérubé was deeply impressed by this two-faceted vision of both impending rescue and the historic vessel’s glorious past.

The reverse image’s porthole frame is embossed with the dates '1962' and '2012,' the words 'CANADIAN COAST GUARD/GARDE CÔTIÈRE CANADIENNE' to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard, the word 'CANADA,' and the face value '20 DOLLARS.'

Accompanying each coin is a piece of steel from the pre-refit bow of CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, providing the collector with not only a beautiful numismatic remembrance of the Canadian Coast Guard and CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent but also a piece of the forward section of the historic icebreaker as the vessel itself moves toward the final chapter of its service to Canada.

Packaging

Coin is encapsulated and presented in a Maple Wood Case branded Royal Canadian Mint and protected by a black sleeve. Inside the case is vial containing a small piece of steel from the bow of CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent taken during its refitting and a serialized certificate.

Specifications

Face Value: $20
Mintage: 7,500
Composition: 99.99% Silver
Weight (g): 31.39
Diameter (mm): 38
Finish: Proof