Description
This ultra low mintage 2020 $125 coin marks the 75th anniversary of UNESCO and brings to life Canada’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, where a Viking settlement dating back more than 1,000 years is preserved as the first known European settlement in Canada. The coin is struck in a half kilogram (over 16 ounces) of fine silver with selective gold highlights, and has a mintage limited to just 300 coins. HST/GST exempt.
The site was first discovered in 1968 when Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad and his wife, archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad, found a small bronze cloak pin and the remnants of a Viking encampment on the shores of Epaves Bay. Subsequent excavations, led by Dr. Bengt Schönbäck and Dr. Birgitta Wallace, uncovered hundreds of Norse artefacts and clarified L’Anse aux Meadows’ place in the Vinland sagas. The eight timber-framed turf structures (three dwellings, one iron forge and four workshops) were built in the same 11th century style as those found in Greenland and Iceland. Evidence of activities indicate the location served as a base camp for further exploration south, which seemingly confirmed the journeys described in the Old Norse Sagas. In 1975, the archaeological site was established as a National Historic Site of Canada before being declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
The Design:
Designed by artist Rebecca Yanovskaya, the time-travelling reverse offers an artist’s rendition of the Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows. Norse explorer Leif Erikson stands in the foreground, where he observes the activities of his crew and proudly surveys the settlement he founded around the year 1000. Selective gold plating highlights the ornamental flourishes, which are inspired by Norse art and wood carvings. The word “CANADA” is inscribed in a runic font along with the double dates “1945 – 2020” which flank the UNESCO logo to commemorate its 75th anniversary. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
UNESCO:
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
Did You Know?
In 1978, L’Anse aux Meadows became one of the first 12 places inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Today, UNESCO preserves more than 1,000 World Heritage Sites in 167 countries.
