Canada commemorates its WWII combat aircraft with new trio of proof silver coins

As we sit in the middle of lengthy commemorations for both the First (100th) and Second (75th) World Wars, the number of numismatics featuring military subjects being released has understandably risen greatly. The Royal Canadian Mint has been a particularly eager issuer in this genre and have produced some fine designs to date. One we particularly liked was a trio of coloured silver coins depicting some aircraft flown by Canadian Pilots in the 1914-18 war. Very well designed despite a standard specification, it’s nice to see a set for the 1939-1945 war to go alongside them.

Launched one-per-month on a subscription basis, each of these coins closely mimics the first set with a single coloured aircraft set on a clean-struck background depicting a scene of the aircraft in action. The first coin features a sorely under-rated aircraft that fought valiantly in the incredibly pivotal Battle of Britain, the Hawker Hurricane. Overshadowed by the glamorous Supermarine Spitfire, it was the Hurricane that took 2 out of every three kills during the battle. Very tough, easy to build and a stable gun platform, it was only through the stubbornness of its developer Sydney Camm, who ignored the Ministry of Defence’s lack of interest to plough on regardless, that this superb fighter ever got off the ground. The coin depicts a typical dogfighting scene and is very well done by artist David Oram.

The second and third coins feature far less iconic aircraft and are subjects rarely seen on coins. The next release is in February and displays an Avro Anson in a maritime reconnaissance setting. March sees the Consolidated Canso attacking a U-boat on the surface. Both aircraft, like the Hurricane, were flown by Canadian pilots for the Royal Air Force, serving with considerable distinction. All have the very cool period effigy of King George VI on the obverse.

Subscribers will get a nice collectors box with the first coin that will hold all three in the set, much like the set last year. The whole thing will look great if the First World War set is any indicator. Selling for $104.95 per coin and with mintage limited to 7,500, the coin is up for sale now.

If the First World War introduced the concept of aerial combat, then the Second World War cemented its status as one of the defining elements of modern warfare. Rapid advancement in aircraft technology produced the aluminum-clad bombers, cargo planes and jet-powered aircraft that gradually replaced the wooden-framed and fabric-clad biplanes of the Great War. Aircraft carriers allowed planes to extend their reach farther than ever before, while a new technology—radar—bolstered defensive and offensive strategies in the skies.

The Aircraft of the Second World War series salutes three of the most iconic aircraft flown between 1939 and 1945. Whether used to defend the homeland, in combat overseas or as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan here in Canada, these aircraft are remembered as important symbols of Canadian valour and sacrifice.

DESIGN: Designed by Canadian artist David A. Oram, the first coin in your subscription features an engraved depiction of two Hawker Hurricanes patrolling the skies over Great Britain during the Battle of Britain, circa 1940. The design features an outstanding amount of detail, all painstakingly engraved and enhanced with the use of multiple finishes. In the background, a part in the cloud cover reveals the Thames Estuary below, where the fuel tanks and ships of a vital British shipping port are to be defended from airborne attacks by the German Luftwaffe.

The selectively coloured Hurricane in the foreground bears the reporting marks of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) No. 1 Squadron, along with the identifier YO-A and the serial number P3069 that are associated with the aircraft flown by Squadron Leader Ernest Archibald McNab. This Hurricane’s combat experience is evident in the markings and faded paint on its fuselage and wings, but does little to diminish the aircraft’s overall colourful appearance—from its grey-green camouflage to the multi-coloured roundels on the wings and fuselage, along with the red, white and blue tail flash. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T. H. Paget.