Released in 1992, this $20 sterling silver coin is the fifth release in Canada's acclaimed ten-coin series, Powered Flight in Canada: The First 50 Years. Celebrating the nation's aviation heroes and their groundbreaking achievements, each coin in the collection features a stunning 24-karat gold-covered cameo portrait of an aviation hero.

This piece honors the  Curtiss JN-4 (Canuck) and Sir Frank Wilton Baillie, who ran the manufacturing company of the Curtiss JN-4, Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd.

The Design

The reverse features the Curtiss JN-4 (Canuck) with a gold plated portrait of Sir Frank Wilton Baillie. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Dora de Pédery-Hunt.

The Curtiss JN-4 (Canuck) 

Informally known as the "Canuck," the Curtiss JN-4 (Can) was Canada’s very first mass-produced aircraft and a cornerstone of the nation's flight training program during World War I. In June 1918, a Canadian-built Canuck made history by carrying the country's first official airmail from Montreal to Toronto. Following the war, these versatile planes found a second life in the civilian market, quickly becoming a favorite for the daring aerial stunt performances that captivated audiences of the era.