Description
This 2020 fine silver $5 coin serves as a token of remembrance for all those who have served our country to make the rights and freedoms that we enjoy today possible. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the beginning of an era of peace, the poppy continues to serve as a poignant reminder of our past, and as a symbol of hope for the future. The design on this coin features a bold “V” marking the anniversary of the end of hostilities in 1945, together with a field of red poppies reminiscent of John McCrae’s famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Trevor Tennant uses selective colour to highlight the flowers of remembrance that line a v-shaped pathway. Above them, rays of sunlight streaming through the clouds are an expression of hope for a brighter, peaceful future. The reverse also includes the word “CANADA” near the curved rim, while the face value “5 DOLLARS” and the year “2020” are inscribed below. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Did you know?
The poppy has served as Canada’s Flower of Remembrance since 1921. Today, it honours the memory of the more than 118,000 Canadian servicemen and women who lost their lives in the line of duty. The first ceremony to honour Canada’s fallen soldiers took place in 1919, on the first anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War. Between 1919 and 1930, November 11 was known as Armistice Day, which was renamed Remembrance Day in 1931 in order to keep the focus on those who served and died.
