Aircraft technology was barely a decade old when the First World War began in 1914, but the needs of warfare quickly fuelled incredible advancements in aviation technology. As Canadian pilots and “aces” soared through the sky in aircraft such as the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a, they played an important role in a new era that shaped modern warfare and ultimately redefined industry and transportation.

The reverse design by Canadian artist David A. Oram features a richly detailed, engraved depiction of an airfield where a squadron prepares for take off. A Crossley Light Tender 20/25 truck is parked behind five Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a aircraft, which have lined up in front of several Bessonneau hangars; the foremost plane is particularly striking thanks to the use of selective colour, which recreates the biplane fighter’s dark green colour, as well as the blue, white and red roundel and tail cockade that identified the aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps. Seated in the open cockpit, a Canadian pilot wears the leather flying coat, helmet and goggles that offer him some protection from the wind and cold temperatures at higher altitudes. The reverse boasts an impressive amount of detail in its rendition of the wire-braced box girder, and close examination offers a glimpse of the fuselage-mounted .303 Vickers gun and the MK-II Lewis machine gun on the upper wing, which helped make this aircraft one of the most successful Allied fighter planes of the First World War.

Sure to be treasured by collectors and aviation enthusiasts for its artistic merit and historical theme, this striking coin is also a deeply meaningful gift for those whose loved ones proudly served their country.