The
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is the official bullion
gold coinA gold coin is a coin made mostly or entirely of gold. Gold has been used for coins practically since the invention of coinage, originally because of gold's intrinsic value...
of
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and is produced by the
Royal Canadian MintThe Royal Canadian Mint produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations. The Mint also designs and manufactures: precious and base metal collector coins; gold, silver, palladium, and platinum bullion coins; medals, as well as medallions and...
. The brainchild of Walter Ott, it is one of the purest gold regular-issue coins in the world with a gold content of .9999
millesimal finenessMillesimal fineness is a system of denoting the purity of platinum, gold and silver alloys by parts per thousand of pure metal by mass in the alloy. For example, an alloy containing 75% gold is denoted as "750". Many European countries use decimal hallmark stamps Millesimal fineness is a system of...
(24
caratThe karat or carat is a unit of purity for gold alloys.- Measure :Karat purity is measured as 24 times the purity by mass:where...
s), with some special issues .99999 fine. That is, it contains virtually no base metals at all—only gold, from mines in Canada.
The coin was introduced in 1979. At the time the only bullion coin was the
KrugerrandThe Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold. The coin, produced by the South African Mint, proved popular and by 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of Kruger and rand, the South...
, which was not widely available because of the economic
boycottA boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of apartheid-era
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Coins minted between 1979 and 1982 have a gold content of .999.
The coin is offered in
oz.The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg...
, , , , and 1 oz. denominations and is guaranteed to contain the stated amount (in troy ounces) of .9999 fine gold (24-
caratThe karat or carat is a unit of purity for gold alloys.- Measure :Karat purity is measured as 24 times the purity by mass:where...
). The coins have
legal tenderLegal tender is a medium of payment allowed by law or recognized by a legal system to be valid for meeting a financial obligation. Paper currency is a common form of legal tender in many countries....
status in Canada for their
face valueThe Face value is the value of a coin, stamp or paper money, as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the minting authority. While the face value usually refers to the true value of the coin, stamp or bill in question it can sometimes be largely symbolic, as is often the case with bullion...
s ($1, $5, $10, $20 and $50), subject to the Canadian Currency Act and the Royal Canadian Mint Act. Although categorized as "non-circulating bullion coins" in the Mint Act, these coins are still legal tender under the Currency Act.
The , , , and troy ounce coins are identical in design to the one-troy-ounce coin, except for markings on the obverse and reverse sides indicating the weight and
face valueThe Face value is the value of a coin, stamp or paper money, as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the minting authority. While the face value usually refers to the true value of the coin, stamp or bill in question it can sometimes be largely symbolic, as is often the case with bullion...
of the coin. In 1994, ($2.00 face value) gold and platinum coins were issued, possibly for use in jewellery. They were not very popular, and 1994 remains the only year in which gold and platinum bullion coins were produced.
Starting in 1988 Maple Leaf coins have also been struck in .9995-fine
platinumPlatinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
, having the same weights and face values as the gold coins. Since 1988, a one-ounce .9999-fine
silver Maple LeafThe Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin issued annually by the government of Canada. The coin has been minted by the Royal Canadian Mint since 1988....
has also been struck, with a face value of $5. In 2005, a .9995-fine
palladiumPalladium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired...
Maple Leaf coin was introduced, with a face value of $50. This palladium coin is subject to the federal
Goods and Services TaxThe Goods and Services Tax is a multi-level value added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991, by then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and his finance minister Michael Wilson. The GST replaced a hidden 13.5% Manufacturers' Sales Tax ; Mulroney claimed the GST was implemented because the MST...
in Canada.
On May 3, 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a Gold Maple Leaf coin with a face value of $1 million, though the gold content was worth over $2 million at the time. It measures in diameter by thick and has a mass of , with a purity of 99.999%. The artist is Stanley Witten. The coin is mainly a promotional product, to give the mint a higher international profile. The hundred-kilogram coin was conceived as a one-off showpiece to promote the mint's new line of 99.999-percent-pure one-ounce Gold Maple Leaf bullion coins, but after several interested buyers came forward the mint announced it would manufacture them as ordered and sell them for between $2.5 and $3 million. there were five confirmed orders.
All weights are in
troy ouncesTroy weight is a system of units of mass customarily used for precious metals, gemstones, and black powder.There are 12 troy ounces per troy pound, rather than the 16 ounces per pound found in the more common avoirdupois system. The troy ounce is 480 grains, compared with the avoirdupois ounce,...
.
Gold Maple Leaf
| Years |
Denominations |
Purity |
Obverse |
| 1979–1982 |
|
.999 |
|
| November 1982 – 1985 |
, , |
.9999 |
| 1986–1989 |
, , , |
.9999 |
| 1990–1992 |
, , , |
.9999 |
|
| 1993 |
, , , , |
.9999 |
| 1994 |
, , , , , |
.9999 |
| 1995–2004 |
, , , , |
.9999 |
| 2005–present |
, , , , |
.9999 |
|
For .99999 (
"Five Nines"Nines are an informal, yet common method of grading the purity of very fine precious metals such as platinum, gold and silver. Based on the system of millesimal fineness, a metal is said to be one nine or one nine fine if it is 900 fine, or 90% pure. A metal that is 990 fine is then described as...
) Pure Gold Maple Leafs, see Special issues below.
The .9999 1982 Gold Maple Leafs began minting in November. Thus, most of the 1982 Gold Maple Leafs are .999 fine.
Production problems
Some dealers have complained about the production quality of the Gold Maples. The softness of 24 karat gold combined with the Gold Maples' milled edge, clear field around the Queen and the tube storage supplied, means that the coins easily show handling marks. This is a standard problem with pure gold.
Platinum Maple Leaf
| Years |
Denominations |
Purity |
Obverse |
| 1988–1989 |
, , , |
.9995 |
39-year-old Queen |
| 1990–1992 |
, , , |
.9995 |
64-year-old Queen |
| 1993 |
, , , , |
.9995 |
| 1994 |
, , , , , |
.9995 |
| 1995–1999 |
, , , , |
.9995 |
| 2002 |
, , , , |
.9995 |
| 2009 |
|
.9995 |
79-year-old Queen |
No platinum Maple Leafs were minted between 2002 and 2009, when the platinum Maple Leaf was reintroduced. Only 500 sets of hologram platinum Maple Leaf coins (including all five denominations) were minted in 2002.
Silver Maple Leaf
| Years |
Denominations |
Purity |
Obverse |
| 1988–1989 |
|
.9999 |
39-year-old Queen |
| 1990–2004 |
|
.9999 |
64-year-old Queen |
| 2005–present |
|
.9999 |
79-year-old Queen |
Palladium Maple Leaf
Available in a one-ounce format, the
palladium coinPalladium coins are a form of coinage made out of the rare silver-white transition metal palladium. Palladium is internationally recognised as a form of currency under ISO 4217. Sierra Leone issued the first palladium coins in 1966. Tonga commenced issuing palladium coins a year later in 1967,...
presented an alternative to the Platinum Maple Leaf (which had been discontinued in 1999).
During the testing process for the palladium coin, coins were tested on two different palladium blanks. These blanks were known as lots "A" and "B". From these blanks, 290 test coins were struck. These coins were struck with a
mint markA mint mark is an inscription on a coin indicating the mint where the coin was produced.-History:Mint marks were first developed to locate a problem. If a coin was underweight, or overweight, the mint mark would immediately tell where the coin was minted, and the problem could be located and fixed...
, attesting to their authenticity. All test coins struck from lot A were identified with an "A" mint mark, and all coins struck from lot B were given a "B" mint mark. These coins were available for purchase through a drawing held by the Royal Canadian Mint. Their face value was $50 each, and the issue price for both coins was $1,299.95.
| Year |
Denomination |
Purity |
Obverse |
| 2005–2007, 2009 |
|
.9995 palladium |
79-year-old Queen |
Bimetallic Maple Leaf
As a way of commemorating 25 years as an industry leader in bullion coins, the Royal Canadian Mint created a unique six-coin set. It was a new bimetallic maple leaf, set in bullion finish (a brilliant relief against a parallel lined background). The six-coin set was the first to include the Maple Leaf denomination. Each coin included a double-date of 1979–2004, and the coin featured a commemorative
privy markA privy mark was originally a small mark or differentiation in the design of a coin for the purpose of identifying the mint, moneyer, or some other aspect of the coin's production or origin, for control purposes. Nowadays it is mainly used as a design and marketing feature....
. All coins were packaged in a black leather presentation case with a black velour insert, along with a certificate of authenticity.
Coin Specifications
| Year |
Theme |
Face Value |
Size |
Composition |
Weight |
Diameter |
| Ring |
Core |
| 2004 |
25th Anniversary, Gold Maple Leaf |
| $0.50 |
|
.9999 silver |
.9999 gold |
1.270 |
16.00 |
| $1.00 |
|
1.581 |
18.03 |
| $5.00 |
|
3.136 |
20.00 |
| $10.00 |
|
7.802 |
25.00 |
| $20.00 |
|
15.589 |
30.00 |
| $50.00 |
|
31.650 |
36.07 |
Other Details
| Year |
Theme |
Artist |
Mintage |
Issue Price |
Finish |
| 2004 |
25th Anniversary, Gold Maple Leaf |
RCM Engravers |
801 |
$2,495.95 |
Bullion |
99.999% Gold Maple Leaf
The gold Maple Leaf coin was .999 pure until 1982, when its purity was raised to .9999. Some coins are issued at a purity of .99999; this standard does not replace the Mint's .9999 Gold Maple Leaf coins, but is instead reserved for special editions.
| Year |
Theme |
Artist |
Mintage |
Issue Price |
Special Notes |
Image |
| 2007 |
Two Hundred Dollar Coin |
Stanley Witten |
30,848 |
N/A |
1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold |
|
| 2007 |
One Million Dollar Coin |
Stanley Witten |
5 |
N/A |
The coin has a mass of (which is 3215 troy ounces) |
 |
| 2008 |
Two Hundred Dollar Coin |
|
1,700 |
$1,394.64 |
Special Limited Edition First Strike |
| 2008 |
Two Hundred Dollar Coin |
|
27,476 |
N/A |
1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold |
| 2009 |
Two Hundred Dollar Coin |
Stanley Witten |
13,765 |
N/A |
1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold |
Coloured Gold Maple Leaf
| Year |
Theme |
Artist |
Mintage |
Issue Price |
Special Notes |
| 1999 |
20th Anniversary of the GML |
Walter Ott, RCM Engravers |
13,025 |
N/A |
These are the first coloured coins that the Royal Canadian Mint has ever produced |
Hologram Gold Maple Leaf
| Year |
Theme |
Artist |
Mintage |
Issue Price |
Special Notes |
| 1999 |
GML Hologram Set |
Walter Ott, RCM Engravers |
500 |
$1,995.00 |
First Coins for RCM to feature a hologram |
| 2001 |
GML Hologram Set |
Walter Ott, RCM Engravers |
600 |
$1,995.00 |
N/A |
| 2001 |
$10 GML Hologram |
Walter Ott, RCM Engravers |
14,614 |
$195.00 |
-oz |
Olympic Maple Leaf
The Royal Canadian Mint and the
International Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
have reached an agreement on Olympic Gold and Silver Maple Leaf coins. The announcement was made on August 3, 2007, and the agreement allows the RCM to strike bullion coins with the emblems of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The issue will consist of two coins – one Gold Maple Leaf coin and a
Canadian Silver Maple LeafThe Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin issued annually by the government of Canada. The coin has been minted by the Royal Canadian Mint since 1988....
coin; both coins feature the date of 2008. The new agreement means that the RCM is now selling Olympic coins through all of its major business lines – bullion, circulation and numismatics.
Individual releases
| Year |
Theme |
Artist |
Mintage |
Issue Price |
Special Notes |
| 1989 |
10th Anniversary Coin |
Walter Ott |
6,817 |
Bullion Value |
Packaged in a wooden box |
| 1997 |
125th Anniversary of the RCMP |
Ago Aarand |
12,913 |
310.00 |
Guaranteed value of US$310 until January 1, 2000 |
| 2004 |
25th Anniversary of Gold Maple Leaf |
Walter Ott |
10,000 |
Bullion Value |
Introduced at ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh |
| 2007 |
Gold Maple Leaf Test Bullion Coin 99.999% Pure |
Stan Witten |
500 |
$1,899.95 |
Available to collectors who enter draw-to-buy |
Privy-marked GML
| Year |
Privy Mark |
Denomination |
Size |
Mintage |
Special Notes |
| 1997 |
Family |
Five Dollars |
|
100,730 |
Made for Dillon Gage |
| 1998 |
Eagles |
Five Dollars |
|
51,440}} |
Made for Dillon Gage |
| 2000 |
Expo Hanover |
Ten Dollars |
|
1,000 |
N/A |
| 2001 |
Basle Coin Fair |
Ten Dollars |
|
750 |
N/A |
| 2001 |
Viking |
N/A |
, , , , |
850 |
Issued as a five coin set |
| 2005 |
Liberation |
Ten Dollars |
|
1,000 |
Made for Royal Dutch Mint |
Definition of finishes
Bullion: Brilliant relief against a parallel lined background.
Proof: Frosted relief against a mirror background
Specimen: Brilliant relief on a satin background.
See also
- Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
The Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is a silver bullion coin issued annually by the government of Canada. The coin has been minted by the Royal Canadian Mint since 1988....
- Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf
The Platinum Maple Leaf is a platinum coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint between 1988 and 2002, and reintroduced in 2009 . The coin was offered in 1/20 oz, 1/15 oz , 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz denominations, all of which are marked as containing .9995 pure platinum...
- Eagle (U.S. coin)
- Britannia coin
Britannia coins are British bullion coins issued by the Royal Mint in gold since 1987 and in silver since 1997.Britannia gold coins contain one troy ounce of gold and have a face value of £100. Gold Britannias also are issued in fractional sizes of one-half, one-quarter, and one-tenth of a troy...
- Australian Gold Nugget
The Australian Gold Nugget is a gold bullion coin minted by the Perth Mint. The coins have been minted in denominations of 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 10 oz, and 1 kg of 24 carat gold...
- Krugerrand
The Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold. The coin, produced by the South African Mint, proved popular and by 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of Kruger and rand, the South...
- Gold as an investment
Of all the precious metals, gold is the most popular as an investment. Investors generally buy gold as a hedge or harbor against economic, political, or social fiat currency crises...
External links