Struck in a near flawless proof finish with selective gold plating over an engraved surface, this $20 fine silver coin commemorates Canada’s role in the First World War and marks the 100th anniversary of the Second Battle of Ypres.  The coin weighs one ounce of pure silver, and has a limited mintage of 10,000 coins.  HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

The design by Canadian artist Silvia Pecota transports the viewer to the front line near Ypres, and into the trenches in the thick of the battle. A Canadian soldier stands in the foreground; manned with a bayonet, his Ross rifle is raised as the soldier scopes the advancing enemy. Behind him, one man is crouched down as he tends to his rifle, which has jammed from the rapid rate of fire. Another leans against the sandbags as he fires upon the enemy. To the right, a soldier has pulled his handkerchief up over his nose in an attempt to protect himself against the burning effects of the green-yellow cloud that bore down on the Allies. It is a telling reminder of the great perils faced by the men of the First Canadian Division. The lower portion of this poignant image is framed by a banner; in its centre, selective gold plating showcases the winged figure of "Victory," as it appeared on the Victory Medal that was awarded to the allied soldiers of the First World War. The coin is engraved with the word "CANADA," the date "1915” on one side of the coin and “2015” on the other " and the words "The Second Battle of Ypres" “La Deuxieme Bataille D’Ypres”.

It was during this battle, shortly after the burial of his best friend, that a Canadian Army surgeon named John McCrae penned the immortal poem "In Flanders Fields." It would soon become the anthem for the remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in a war that would last for another three and a half years.