Description
This 2015 $20 fine silver coin is the first in a new series marking the 100th anniversary of Canada’s role in the First World War. Mintage of this coin is limited to just 7,500 pieces. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
This coin features Canada’s railways and their involvement in Canada's war effort. Seemingly leading with its smokebox and pilot, a 4-6-2 "Pacific" steam locomotive becomes the central focal point as it moves along its rails and appears to emerge towards the viewer, which adds dimension to this intricate design. Behind the locomotive are a series of passenger cars filled with Canadian soldiers; this "troop train" is transporting Canadian soldiers to the training camp at Valcartier, Quebec, as part of their journey to the battlefields of Europe. In the background, an engraved map of eastern Canada highlights the railway lines that would have been used as part of this journey: those of the Grand Trunk Railway and part of the National Transcontinental Railway, which served as vital links between Canada's large cities (highlighted by dots) and the ports along Canada's East Coast.
The obverse of the coin features an effigy of King George V as it appeared on Canadian coins during WWI. . This coin is engraved with the word "CANADA," the date "2015”.
