The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) stands as Canada’s foremost mint and holds a distinguished reputation as one of the world’s leading precious metal refineries. Operating under full ownership of the Canadian Government, it functions as a federal Crown corporation.

This esteemed institution crafts Canadian circulation coins and produces gold bullion coins and bars, the Canadian Maple Leaf coin series reigning supreme. Given Canada’s bilingual status, it’s also recognized as the Monnaie Royale Canadienne.

History of the Royal Canadian Mint

Established in Ottawa in 1908 as an outpost of the British Royal Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint initially specialized in minting gold Sovereign coins bearing the ‘C’ mint mark, signifying their Canadian origin. Upon Canada’s independence from the British Empire in 1931, the mint’s assets were transferred to the Canadian Government, formalizing its status as the Royal Canadian Mint.

In 1969, the Royal Canadian Mint Act solidified its incorporation as a Crown corporation, paving the way for significant milestones such as releasing the inaugural 1 oz gold Maple Leaf coin a decade later. In subsequent years, we witnessed the introduction of the 1 oz Silver Maple Leaf coin in 1988, followed by the debut of the 1 oz Platinum Maple Leaf coins.

Operating two refineries since 1911 and 2005, respectively, the Royal Canadian Mint boasts a gold refinery alongside a silver refinery.

Canadian Maple Leaf bullion coin series

The backbone of the Royal Canadian Mint’s offerings is the Canadian Maple Leaf bullion coin series, comprising gold, silver, platinum, and palladium variations.

Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins

Introduced in 1979, the Canadian Maple Leaf gold coin emerged as the second investment bullion after the iconic South African Gold Krugerrand debuted in 1967. It provided private investors an alternative gold investment avenue apart from collector coins.

The initial Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins were minted from .999 purity 24-carat gold. In a groundbreaking move in 1982, the gold Maple Leaf became the world’s first coin struck from .9999 pure gold, maintaining this high standard ever since. Canadian gold Maple Leaf coins come in various denominations catering to investors across different budgets, ranging from the petite 1/20 oz Gold Maple Leaf Coin to the more substantial ¼ oz Gold Maple Leaf and ½ oz Maple Leaf Gold Coin.

In 2007, a remarkable series of five Gold Maple Leaf coins hit the market, each with a face value of $1 million and a metal value of $3.5 million. Dubbed the ‘Big Maple Leaf,’ these coins, made from 99.999% pure gold, weighed 100kg. Until the 1-ton Australian Gold Nugget was unveiled in 2011, the Big Maple Leaf held the Guinness World Record for being the largest gold coin ever minted.

Canadian Maple Leaf silver coins

In 1988, the Silver Canadian Maple Leaf made its debut. It marked the third silver bullion coin to be introduced, following the Chinese Silver Panda and Silver American Eagle coins. Upholding the Royal Canadian Mint’s tradition of favoring high-purity bullion coins, the Maple Leaf coins were the first to be struck from .9999 pure silver. Initially available only in 1 oz denominations, Canadian Silver Maple Leafs are now offered in various weights, including 1.5 oz Silver Maple Leaf and 10 oz Silver Maple Leaf.

Canadian Maple Leaf platinum and palladium coins

Concurrently with the launch of the silver coins, the Platinum Maple Leaf Coin was unveiled. Crafted from 999.5 pure platinum, it initially came in a 1 oz denomination alongside more minor variants of ½ oz, ¼ oz, and 1/10 oz. Although the platinum Maple Coin series was briefly halted from 2002 to 2009, it has since been exclusively available in 1 oz sizes.

Additionally, the Royal Canadian Mint briefly issued a palladium Maple Leaf coin in 2005, only to suspend production for two years before relaunching in 2009. Regular production continued until the coins were entirely discontinued in 2015. Made from .9995 pure palladium, these coins were offered in 1 oz denominations.

Canadian Maple Leaf coin design

All iterations of the Maple Leaf series (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium) share a standard design. The obverse showcases the iconic Canadian Maple Leaf, symbolic of the nation, while the reverse features a profile of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

In 2013, a security enhancement was introduced, incorporating a laser micro-engraved textured maple leaf on a small section of the coin’s reverse. The coin’s year of minting lies within this marking, discernible only under magnification. Subsequently, in 2015, additional security measures were implemented, including radial lines on both sides of the coin’s background.

Canadian MapleGrams

The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled MapleGrams in 2014, a product series comprising multiple 1g gold Maple Leaf coins elegantly presented in secure packaging encased within a protective sleeve. Available in sets of 8 or 25 coins, each weighing 1 gram, these MapleGrams are housed in divisible blister packs. Each coin blister bears a unique serial number, while an assay certificate on the sleeve guarantees the weight and purity of the coins within.

Other bullion products by the Royal Canadian Mint

Beyond the renowned Maple Leaf series, the Royal Canadian Mint crafts numerous numismatic coinage and bullion bars. Noteworthy among these are:

Canadian Wildlife Series: From 2011 to 2013, the Canadian Wildlife silver coin series showcased six designs depicting indigenous Canadian fauna. Struck from .9999 pure silver, each coin had a limited mintage, with biannual releases. This series includes the 1 oz Canadian Bison Wildlife Coin and the 1 oz Canadian Grizzly Bear Silver Coin.

Gold Bullion Bars: The Royal Canadian Mint is one of the few official mints offering .9999 pure gold and silver bars. It provides investors with a variety of options in silver, gold, platinum, and palladium. The mint’s silver bullion bar features its logo on the obverse, accompanied by the item’s weight, purity, and unique serial number, while the reverse showcases a maple leaf motif.