A Storied History: The Royal Canadian Mint from Origins to Modern Day
History of the Royal Canadian Mint The 20th century
The Royal Canadian Mint has produced coins for almost 100 years. In the early 1900s, Canada gained independence from Britain. Canada needed money, so the Ottawa Royal Mint issued its first gold sovereigns and silver dollars in 1908.
For decades, RCM made gold and silver coins. The Mint didn't make nickel coins to replace British currency until the 1930s. The 1937 nickel redesign added Canada's coat of arms on the back, current!
To accommodate coin demand, the RCM grew greatly in the mid-1900s. Ottawa and Winnipeg built new facilities in 1976 and 1988.
In the 21st century, RCM enters new markets. It produces the first glow-in-the-dark currency, medals for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and coins and bullion for over 60 nations.
From gold sovereigns and silver dollars to international minting leaders, the RCM has changed. The Mint's currency connects us to our past almost 100 years later. Every medal and coin preserves its history.
The Modern RCM: Innovation and Artistry for the 21st Century
Since reform, the Royal Canadian Mint has improved coin production.
Investment in new tech The Mint heavily invested in modern technologies in the 1990s and 2000s to improve efficiency, quality, and security. Sorting, packaging, laser engraving, and more are automated. R&D produced new circulation and precious metal alloys for the Mint.
RCM's 2012 multi-ply plated steel $1 and $2 coins are attractive and impossible to counterfeit due to cutting-edge technology. The Mint's developments in coloured coins, holographic coins, and other visual elements have given collectors worldwide unique numismatic items.
