For the first time in seventeen years this week, the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II has been updated on the back of British currency with the announcement of a new portrait by Jody Clark, designer of the 2014 proof Britannia. In the same week, the Royal Canadian Mint has released four new coins, three of which kick off new series, each of which has an obverse effigy from history. All of them are pre-Elizabeth, with one carrying George VI and the other three George V.

Despite the interesting obverse’s, the key interest here is in the subject matter for the reverse sides. Each of the three new series commemorate the two World Wars. The Home Front series will be four coins in total and deal with the war effort in Canada itself. Of much more interest, to myself at least, are the two Battlefront ranges, one for the First World War that will be eight coins in length, and one for the Second World War at ten coins to completion. Each entrant in the series will feature a famous battle that had Canadian Armed Forces involvement and if the first two coins are any indication, they’re going to make fine looking sets.

The odd one out is the second in the ‘Legacy of the Canadian Nickel’ six-coin series. This range travels through history, with each of the coins having an obverse relevant to the period it was initially issued in.

All are available for pre-order now from the Royal Canadian Mint website and none have any geographical restrictions on purchasing.

 

WWII BATTLEFRONT 01: BATTLE OF BRITAIN

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin…” – Sir Winston Churchill

By the summer of 1940, much of continental Europe was occupied by Nazi Germany, which had turned its sights across the English Channel to Great Britain. As a precursor to a possible invasion, the Luftwaffe began a series of aerial attacks on Britain’s coastal defences in a battle for superiority in the skies. With this fine silver coin, the Royal Canadian Mint commemorates Canada’s role in the Battle of Britain, which would prove to be one of the turning points of the Second World War.

A poignant commemoration of the contributions made by Canadian pilots and crew members during this pivotal chapter in the Second World War.

DESIGN: The coin pays tribute to Canada’s role in the Battle of Britain with its depiction of a dogfight in the skies above Dover. At the helm of a Hawker Hurricane, a Canadian fighter pilot ascends higher after firing upon a Dornier Do 17Z—the enemy plane has seemingly dropped in altitude as a trail of dark smoke billows up from one of its engines. Well below these fighter planes, the background recreates England’s beautiful southeastern coast, where the waters of the English Channel meet the famous White Cliffs of Dover. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T. H. Paget.

Never before has the fate of a nation depended on the outcome of a combat fought entirely in the air.

The Battle of Britain began on July 10, 1940, as Messerschmitts Bf 109s crossed into British airspace to strike shipping convoys and centres. Despite being outnumbered nearly 2 to 1, the Royal Air Force (RAF) had a key advantage throughout the ensuing attacks: a network of radar stations eliminated the possibility of any sneak attacks, which allowed for fighter squadrons of Hurricanes and Spitfires to scramble and intercept the enemy.

Canadian pilots joined the series of short-range aerial combats, including members of the RAF’s No. 242 “Canadian” Squadron and the RCAF’s No. 1 Squadron, which became the first Canadian unit to face enemy planes in a dogfight over Southern England on August 26, 1940. Other Canadians played a role serving in RAF Bomber and Coastal Command squadrons.

Daily raids continued; after unleashing heavy attacks upon RAF targets throughout August, the Luftwaffe broadened its targets in September to include a key civilian target: London. Still, the RAF resisted and in the face of mounting losses, Hitler postponed his planned invasion dubbed “Operation Sea Lion” and turned his attention to the East.

On October 31, 1940, the Battle of Britain came to a close. Although the Luftwaffe would continue nighttime bombing raids until May 1941, it had suffered its first defeat by failing to disarm British defences during those pivotal three and a half months—all at the hands of the outnumbered yet resourceful Allied pilots.

Did you know…

• The Royal Canadian Air Force was born on 1 April 1924.

• In August 1939, the RCAF received delivery of its first Hawker Hurricane aircraft, the same type most Canadian pilots would fly during the Battle of Britain.

• Roughly 232,000 men and 17,000 women enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War; sadly, over 17,000 would become casualties in the war.

• Britain’s aerial defences were in the hands of pilots flying Hawker Hurricanes, Supermarine Spitfires and Boulton Paul Defiants; it is these aircraft that would repel the Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitts, Dornier Do 17s, Heinkel He 111s and Junker aircraft during the Battle of Britain.

• With its higher top speed, the Supermarine Spitfire targeted high-flying fighter planes while the more numerous Hawker Hurricanes would pursue slower bombers; although the Spitfire has become associated with victory in the Battle of Britain, in fact it was the Hurricane squadrons that accounted for more enemy aircraft shot down.

FACE VALUE METAL WEIGHT DIAMETER QUALITY MINTAGE
$20 CANADIAN 0.9999 SILVER 31.39 g 38.00 mm PROOF 10,000

WWI BATTLEFRONT 01: BATTLE OF NEUVE-CHAPELLE

MINTS DESCRIPTION

“Our men in the trenches describe this fire as being the most tremendous both on point of noise and in actual effect they have ever seen or heard.” — Ernest Swinton

At 7:30 a.m. on March 10, 1915, the offensive began. In an effort to tie down enemy troops on the left flank of the British assault, Canadian guns located between Fleurbaix and Laventie began shelling the enemy’s front lines.  By 9 a.m., British troops had captured Neuve-Chapelle, but the destruction of communication lines halted their progress as they waited for the order to advance.

Attacks and counter-attacks waged on through March 11th and 12th, with little new ground gained. A shortage of ammunition also hampered efforts, limiting the amount of retaliatory fire which the Canadian and British gunners could fire in support of the infantry. Finally on March 13th, the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle was postponed then halted.  The Allies had gained a 2-kilometre advance, but at the cost of 12,892 Allied men including 100 Canadians.

While Canada’s role at Neuve-Chapelle was a supportive one, providing a feint to the British assault, it nonetheless proved to be a valuable learning experience for the men of the CEF. Coming under fire, these citizen soldiers were steadfast despite being newcomers to trench warfare. Canadians had proved their mettle in this initial outing, and would only add to that reputation six weeks later with their remarkable courage at Ypres.

A poignant commemoration of the contributions made by members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) at the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle in 1915 during the First World War.

DESIGN: The reverse design by Canadian artist Joel Kimmel is a finely detailed depiction of Canadian soldiers in action during the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle. In the centre, an 18-pounder field gun is manned by three Canadian gunners; billowing clouds fill the air to the right, from the ongoing bombardment, while ammunition on the ground to the left are a reminder of the constant nature of the initial artillery attack. Behind them, a sergeant stands and observes the accuracy of the shot’s trajectory through binoculars.

The lower portion of this poignant image is framed by a banner; in its centre, selective gold plating showcases the winged figure of “Victory,” as it appeared on the Victory Medal that was awarded to the allied soldiers of the First World War. The effigy of King George V, who was the reigning monarch at the time, is found on the obverse.

Did you know…
•  The Battle of Neuve-Chapelle was the first British-planned offensive of the First World War.
•  The original plan had called for the French to lead an offensive at nearby Vimy Ridge — a battleground that would prove to be pivotal for Canadians later in the war.
•  The bombardment on the morning of March 10 was one of the First World War’s most intensive; in fact, the Allies used more shells within that hour than had been used through the entire Boer War!
•  Only 70 metres separated the Allies from the enemy line at Neuve-Chapelle.
•  Neuve-Chapelle also marked the first time that aircraft were used to gather intelligence through aerial photography, and for bombing enemy lines.

FACE VALUE METAL WEIGHT DIAMETER QUALITY MINTAGE
$20 CANADIAN 0.9999 SILVER 31.39 g 38.00 mm PROOF 10,000

CANADIAN HOME FRONT: TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD

MINTS DESCRIPTION

“The most demanding part of my work in wartime was keeping vital materials moving… troop movements would have to take priority.”  – I’ve been Working on the Railroad: Memoirs of a Railwayman, 1911-1962, by W. J. Chafe. St. John’s: Henry Cuff Pub., 1987, p. 82-83

The steel and timber arteries of a young nation, Canada’s transcontinental railways played a vital role on the homefront during the First World War. As Canadians heeded the call of duty sent out on August 6, 1914, so too did the railways; trains from every corner of Canada transported 600 men at a time to the hastily-built training camp of Valcartier in Quebec. While these “troop trains” would continue throughout the war, Canada’s three transcontinental railway systems would also be responsible for moving millions of cargo that maintained Canada’s wartime economy — not to mention the transportation of ammunition, natural resources, food and other supplies destined for shipping overseas to Canada’s allies.

DESIGN: The coin features stunning finishes and expertly detailed engraving in a proud celebration of Canada’s railways and their involvement in Canada’s war effort. Seemingly leading with its smokebox and pilot, a 4-6-2 “Pacific” steam locomotive becomes the central focal point as it moves along its rails and appears to emerge towards the viewer, which adds dimension to this intricate design. Behind the locomotive are a series of passenger cars filled with Canadian soldiers; this “troop train” is transporting Canadian soldiers to the training camp at Valcartier, Quebec, as part of their journey to the battlefields of Europe. In the background, an engraved map of eastern Canada highlights the railway lines that would have been used as part of this journey: those of the Grand Trunk Railway and part of the National Transcontinental Railway, which served as vital links between Canada’s large cities (highlighted by dots) and the ports along Canada’s East Coast.

These railway systems played an important part in Canada’s nation-building by opening up Canada’s west to increased settlement, while linking cities, ports and industries across this expansive territory. Key to Confederation were the completion of Atlantic Canada’s Intercolonial Railway in 1876 and Canada’s first transcontinental railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), in 1885.

Canada’s competitive railways were launched into a state of steady expansion that was still underway when war broke out in 1914. As part of an agreement with eastern Canada’s Grand Trunk Railway (GTR), the government built the National Transcontinental Railway (NTR) that ran from Winnipeg to Moncton through Northern Ontario; meanwhile, the GTR was eager to compete with CPR in the west and had expanded westward from Winnipeg through its subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP), which reached Prince Rupert in 1914. The Canadian Northern Railway had also become a third option, having grown from a small, Manitoba-based line into a 16,093 kilometre-long transcontinental system.

From the early days of the war, fleets of steam locomotives such as the 4-6-2 “Pacific” and the older D 10-class 4-6-0 “Ten-Wheeler” pulled the troop trains filled with enlisted men, while others like the older 2-8-0 “Consolidation” and the Class S 2-8-2 “Mikado” locomotives kept the country’s freight moving along. Women replaced the enlisted men in some of the railway manufacturers such as Montreal’s Angus Workshops, and in several work positions in Canadian railways.  Some of the railcar manufacturing industry was temporarily converted to produce ammunition. The railways also encouraged Canadians at home to donate to the Canadian Patriotic Fund to sustain the families of soldiers fighting in Europe or purchase Victory Bonds to financially support the war effort.

By 1915, Canada boasted three transcontinental systems: the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), which was the first of Canada’s transcontinental railways and whose completion in 1885 fulfilled a promise made during Confederation; the Canadian Northern Railway, a 16,093-kilometre-long system that was completed in 1915; and a planned collaboration between the government-built National Transcontinental Railway that ran from Winnipeg east to Moncton, and the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR), which had extended its reach west to Prince Rupert by 1914 through its subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP). During the war, this vast network of transportation – not to mention the industry’s machinery and skilled workers – was placed at Canada’s disposal throughout the war, giving priority to the movement of its troops, goods and labour force.
Did you know…
•  By 1915, over 55,000 kilometres of mainline railways covered Canada.
•  CPR also lent ships to the allied cause: 52 CPR ships were used to transport over a million troops and passengers as well as four million tons of cargo throughout the Great War, and only 27 of these ships would return.
•  Some of the railway manufacturing was temporarily converted to help produce ammunition.
•  Women worked in some of the railcar manufacturers to replace workers who had enlisted for service abroad.  They also worked as telegraph operators, cars and locomotives cleaners and freight handlers for the railways.
•  In 1915, Canada’s railway workers were also recruited for overseas service; designated the Canadian Railway Troops, more than 19,000 of these Canadians repaired and built Europe’s railways near the battlefront to maintain the flow of troops and supplies.
•  As casualties mounted, special hospital trains were designed and constructed to care for injured soldiers returning home.
•  To coordinate wartime railway activities, the Canadian Railway War Board was formed in 1917, then changed its name to the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) in 1919; it still exists today.
•  As the war went on, most of Canada’s railways teetered on the edge of financial ruin; in 1918, the government began measures to nationalize the railways, which would lead to the post-war amalgamation of all mainlines but the CPR: the Canadian Northern, the Intercolonial in the East, the Grand Trunk Railway and the Grand Trunk Pacific would become the Canadian National Railways (CN Rail).

FACE VALUE METAL WEIGHT DIAMETER QUALITY MINTAGE
$20 CANADIAN 0.9999 SILVER 31.39 g 38.0 mm PROOF 7,500

LEGACY OF THE NICKEL: TWO MAPLE LEAVES

MINTS DESCRIPTION

Throughout its history, each of the nickel’s transformations provides a glimpse of a young nation that was seeking to define itself, and a Mint that would quickly come into its own. This Legacy of the Canadian Nickel series is a retrospective look at the history of 5-cent coins minted by the Royal Canadian Mint; it continues with the two maple leaves design used from 1922 to 1936 that first
earned the 5-cent coin its “nickel” nickname.

DESIGN: he reverse image features a recreation of William James Henry Blakemore’s 1922 redesign of Canada’s 5-cent coin. Finely detailed engraving, multiple finishes and selective gold plating breathe new life and more definition to the original design, which features two maple leaves facing outward from the centre. They frame the bottom of a stylistically rendered “5” which paired with the words “FIVE” “CINQ” and “CENTS” indicate the face value. Also engraved on the reverse are the word “CANADA” and the year “2015”. The obverse features the effigy of King George V, who was the reigning monarch from 1910 to 1936 by Sir E.B. MacKennal.

FACE VALUE METAL WEIGHT DIAMETER QUALITY MINTAGE
$0.05 CANADIAN 0.9999 SILVER 31.83 g 40.0 mm PROOF 8,500
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