Description
This 2014 $20 fine silver coin marks the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the program responsible for Canada's cutting edge space industry. For just the second time ever, the Royal Canadian Mint has utilized an achromatic hologram, which creates a spectacular three-dimensional image of one of CSA's landmark technological developments. The coin weighs just over one ounce of pure silver, and has a limited mintage of 10,000 pieces. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The design features a Canadian astronaut floating high above the distant earth, anchored to a foot restraint on Canadarm2. The achromatic hologram makes the coin "visually tactile" and brings the astronaut in space to life, while around the edge of the coin the words "CANADA" and "CSA/ASC" are engraved alongside the dates "1989" and "2014", and the face value of "20 DOLLARS".
The Canadian Space Agency:
The CSA was established by the Canadian Space Agency which received Royal Assent in 1990. Their headquarters are located at the John H. Chapman Space Centre in Saint-Hubert, Quebec. The origins of the program go back to the Second World War; in the years between 1945 and 1960, Canada undertook a number of small launcher and satellite-related projects for the sake of defense-related research. With the launch of Alouette 1 in 1962, Canada became the third country to put an artificial satellite into space. The technical excellence of the satellite, which lasted for 10 years instead of the anticipated one year, prompted further study of the ionosphere.
