Silver Minted in Canada

Silver Minted in Canada

Canada is one of those countries that is known around the world for a variety of different things. From maple syrup, to hockey, and even the ever-relevant sport of curling, Canada has made an impact on the global stage for a number of different reasons. What most people might be surprised to hear, however, is that Canada is a quite large producer of precious metals, namely silver. Canada is home to an extensive network of mines, and more than 20 of them have silver as one of their main extracts.

In addition to mining the metal, Canada also has a number of companies that take the raw silver and turn it into the beautiful silver products that we have become so familiar with today.

One of World’s Largest Mints

Unlike the United States, Canada is not home to a plethora of different companies producing silver products. Instead, you will find that most silver products that originate from Canada are the product of the Royal Canadian Mint, or RCM. Founded during the early stages of the 20th century, RCM was tasked with producing the coinage of Canada. Prior to the establishment of the RCM, Canada relied on countries, such as the United Kingdom, in order to produce the rounds that would eventually become Canadian coinage.

One the Ottawa minting facility was established, Canada became able to produce its own coins and has been doing so ever since. RCM now employees nearly 1,000 people and has two minting facilities located in Ottawa and Winnipeg. The necessity for these two facilities arose as a result of Canada being an absolutely massive nation. It turned out to have two facilities rather than having just one that will, once coins were produced, spend all that money to ship the coins across the country.

Canadian Silver Coins

Whether you are an investor or collector, there is no doubting that you have heard of Canada’s silver coin offering. Perhaps most beautiful of all is the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, which was first minted in 1988. The coin, which consists of .9999 pure silver is a perfect piece to represent Canada as it dons a large Maple Leaf on the reverse. If you know anything about Canada, you are more than well-aware that the Maple Leaf is the country’s national symbol. Though quite simple, the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is easily one of the most popular silver products that comes from Canada. Over the years, the coin’s design has changed, but the Maple Leaf has remained constant through it all.

The Canadian Wildlife Series is another set of silver coins that is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. Canada is a country that is dominated by rough, wild, and rugged terrain, and nothing is more ironically Canadian than the many animals that call Canada’s vast wilderness home. This coin series celebrates many of the animals that are unique to Canada, such as Bison, Grizzly Bears, and Arctic Foxes. What really draws the attention of investors and collectors alike is the fact that these coins are wrought with so much extensive detail. As opposed to the image of a Bison donning the reverse side of the coin, RCM takes it a step forward by depicting a Bison galloping through a grassy plain. The detail on the coin is such that even the individual blades of tall grass are able to be deciphered. Packing that much detail onto the surface of a coin is something investors and collectors from far and wide marvel at.

Something unique to most silver coins from Canada is the fact that the obverse side almost always features the profile image of Queen Elizabeth II. Canada was once controlled by the United Kingdom, and just like coins from Australia and New Zealand, they remember this through their coinage.

Other Canadian Silver Products

In addition to producing many different beautiful coins, Canada and the RCM produce a number of silver products — most notably silver bars. RCM silver bars are most often found in large sizes, such as 100 ounces. With that said, RCM also produces silver bars in sizes as small as 10 and 20 ounces as well. RCM silver bars are not too different than silver bars produced by companies from other countries, though they have recently become more advanced with the security features that are included.

Counterfeiting has become an unfortunately common occurrence in today’s world, and with so many counterfeit products in circulation RCM does what it can to ensure that their bars can absolutely not be faked. By employing tiny mintmark security features and a verifiable serial number on each and every one of their bars, you can ensure that the metal you received is, in fact, authentic.

Unique Level of Fineness

The Royal Canadian Mint prides itself in producing silver products that have a level of fineness that trumps those products of just about most every other mint. When shopping around for silver bars, you might see a fineness or purity level of .999 (or 99.9%). Essentially, what this is saying is that the bar is made up of 99.9% pure silver. When it comes to RCM products, however, that level of fineness has an additional digit, making it just a bit purer than most of its counterparts. The .9999 level of purity is something that has become one of RCM’s hallmark and, quite honestly, is why some people choose RCM products over those from other mints.

Silver from Canada is not the most well-known, there is no denying that, but when it comes to the number one company producing Canadian silver there is no denying its popularity. The Royal Canadian Mint has been around for more than 100 years and is continuing to produce some of the finest silver products in North America. With extensive security features, beautiful designs, and purities that put other products to shame, it is easy to see why collectors and investors alike jump at the opportunity to get their hands on Canadian silver.