Description
At 11 a.m. on the morning of November 11, 1918, the battlefields suddenly fell silent after four calamitous years that changed Canada forever. This fine silver coin is the final in the First World War: Battlefront series; its reverse features a final, powerful tribute to the Canadian and Newfoundlander combatants of the Great War: the winged figure from the 1919 Victory Medal which has followed us on every step of this collectible journey through a war that shaped the 20th century.
The coin is dated 2018 with a $20 denomination and weighs one ounce of pure silver. Adding to its collectability, the mintage is limited to 10,000. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The reverse commemorates the centennial of the armistice signed near Compiègne, France, on November 11, 1918 — an agreement that ended the fighting across the Western Front. The image is a 24 karat gold-plated reproduction of the winged figure of Victory by sculptor William McMillan (1887-1977), whose design graced the obverse of the Victory Medal issued within the British Empire in 1919. The full-length view of this classic-styled allegory finds Victory standing with her left arm raised, her right hand holding a palm branch; behind her, engraved rays that represent hope for a peaceful future fill the field and heighten the luminous nature of the sculpted design. The obverse features the effigy of King George V by Sir E. B. Mackennal and the words “CANADA” engraved above the figure, along with the double dates “1918 – 2018” that mark the centennial of this final chapter in the story of Canada on the battlefields of the First World War.
