Royal Canadian Mint debuts texturised colour with its new En Plein Air silver coin series

As a mainstream coin producer that likes to experiment far more than most other national mints of their size, the Royal Canadian Mint debuts new coins almost every month that trial a new technique or two. One of the recent efforts is called En Plein Air, which is the act of painting outside. Taking full benefit from natural light, it gained in popularity during the Victorian age and has remained so since. French impressionist painters like Monet, Pissarro and Renoir all used this method, as well as many great painters around the world since.

This is to be a three coin series, each one being struck in an ounce of fine 0.9999 silver. While that’s nothing unusual in itself, the coin diameter of 60 mm certainly is. Only CIT’s breakthrough SmartMinting technology approaches these sizes, although that also employs the ability to maintain higher levels of relief simultaneously, this new RCM release going all out on the size front. The obverse is a standard one for Canada – the Susanna Blunt effigy of Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by the coin inscriptions.

The main reverse face is where the mint has focused its attentions. Two new techniques debut here, Canvas Effect and Texturised Colour. The former is exactly what it sounds like, adding a texture to the colour to replicate the look of canvas. The latter results in the colour elements being raised above the background, used here to bring focus to the painting on the easel, helped by the background being devoid of bright colour. The resultant combination of techniques is extremely effective and perfectly suited to the subject matter.

The first coin was released last month, the second last week and the third is due out the first week of July. In what we think is a poor decision, each coin comes packaged in the standard maroon snapper box the RCM uses regularly. A large diameter art coin like this would have been much better served by one of the latex floating frames that are becoming increasingly common, even the RCM using small custom ones for its new Ancient Canada series. Each coin is priced at $119.95 and has a mintage of 5,500 pieces. A subscription is available, but we’d be surprised if the coins were difficult to pick up singly if you so wish.