Description
Occupying the place of honour atop the Canada Coat of Arms, the Royal Crown is the heraldic emblem that represents the Crown in Canada, the state’s power and the Sovereign’s authority. In April 2023, a new Canadian Royal Crown created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority was approved by His Majesty King Charles III for use as a perennial emblem that speaks to this country’s history and identity through its distinctly Canadian elements—from the maple leaves that line the Crown’s rim, to the snowflake that resembles the insignia of one of our highest honours.
The Design:
Designed by Canadian artist Anna Bucciarelli, your coin’s reverse features a heraldic rendition of St. Edward’s Crown—the historic headpiece worn by His Majesty King Charles III at the moment of coronation on May 6, 2023—on the left, and the Canadian Royal Crown on the right.
United by a maple leaf symbolizing Canada, the two Royal Crowns are surrounded by emblems of the United Kingdom—the shamrock for Ireland, the thistle for Scotland, the Tudor rose for England, and the daffodil for Wales—entwined with acanthus leaves. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian Steven Rosati.
Similar to other heraldic versions of the Royal Crown, the Canadian Royal Crown features gold arches set with pearls and a red cap lined in ermine fur. The wavy band represents Canada’s waterways and ocean borders, while beneath the maple leaves, the rising and falling peaks symbolize mountain ranges and river valleys; together, they emphasize the importance of the environment while also alluding to Indigenous teachings about harmony between the land and its inhabitants. At the top, the stylized snowflake serves as a reference to Canada’s snowy winters and to the insignia of the Order of Canada, one of Canada’s highest honours.
