7 New Coins The Canadian Mint Is Dropping In 2024 That'll Add Some Colour To Your Purse

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Amber Valley

Cost: $104.95

The Royal Canadian Mint's latest release is a silver coin commemorating Amber Valley, where Black settlers founded one of western Canada's largest communities in 1909. The piece features a family portrait, highlighting the settlers' resolve and unity, and a wagon train, symbolizing their arduous trek to Alberta.

"The pioneering imagery was essential to communicating the spirit of Amber Valley, crossing through harsh terrain to reach a virtually unknown destination and to begin a legacy centred on the goal of a better life for their family; that idea is reflected in the posture and presence of the figures at the core of this design," said artist Valentine De Landro.

The reverse side shows Queen Elizabeth II, framed by maple leaves, with a special marking for her reign. Only 5,500 pieces are available worldwide.

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Pacific Coast

Cost: $104.95

The Royal Canadian Mint's newest series, "This Is Canada," sets sail with its 2024 theme, "Wondrous Waters," spotlighting the Pacific Ocean on a silver coin. Artist Glen Green, who envisioned the design, said, "I live on Vancouver Island and occasionally get to see pods of killer whales on my travels. The background of this design, with the rocky islands and the heavily forested mountains cascading down to the rugged shoreline, is typical of the West Coast."

Framed by a compass, symbolizing the spirit of exploration, the inaugural coin also features "Canada" and a face value of $20. Queen Elizabeth II's effigy by Susanna Blunt is on the obverse, alongside a special marking for her reign — four pearls, symbolizing the queen's four effigies that have appeared on Canadian coins. The series promises to be a collectible journey through Canada's natural landscapes, one coin at a time.

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Arctic Coast

Cost: $104.95

The second coin in the "This Is Canada: Wondrous Waters" series is an homage to the Arctic Ocean, which makes up nearly 40% of the country's landmass and freshwater. Inuvialuit artist Myrna Pokiak brings the design to life, drawing from personal experiences to create a moonlit tableau featuring a berry picker, beluga whale, polar bear, and snowy owl.

"Every element of my design is a memory… tracks are evidence of life, and we find the spirits of our ancestors in harmony with the [animals]," said Pokiak. The region is defined by the seasonal shifts of sea ice. Each summer, it transforms, teeming with wildlife and cultural activities that have been sustained for generations. The beach also features driftwood carried by rivers and ocean currents, symbolizing the interconnectedness of the environment.

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Atlantic Coast

Cost: $104.95

This coin is like a mini-vacation to Atlantic Canada, minus the sand in your shoes. Featuring soaring cliffs, trails that have seen more wind than your weather app, and lighthouses that have been guiding ships longer than GPS has been a thing, it's the third in the "This Is Canada" series that captures the maritime soul of the East Coast.

With the Bay of Fundy's world-beating high tides that can push rivers in reverse and the Atlantic puffin that practically clocks more sea hours than most boats, this coin is a salute to the natural wonders and feathery locals of Atlantic Canada. About 95% of North American puffins decide Newfoundland and Labrador is the place to be, making it the puffin party capital of the continent. "As the design for this coin progressed, I could almost smell the brine of the ocean and hear the waves gently breaking against the shoreline. In the Atlantic Provinces, we have some breathtaking cliffs and seaside vistas, some of which only the locals know about," said artist Bonnie Ross.

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Great Lakes

Cost: $104.95

This $20 coin, the third installment in the "Wondrous Waters" series, offers a unique glimpse into the essence of the Great Lakes and Canadian wildlife. If you ever thought a moose wading through one of the Great Lakes needed to be immortalized in silver, this one is for you.

The design emphasizes Lake Superior for its unmatched size and volume. The lake is renowned for being the largest, deepest, and coldest of the Great Lakes, encapsulating the awe-inspiring scale of Canada's freshwater resources, and holding more water than its four sister lakes combined.

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Iranian heritage

This 99.99% pure silver coin from the Royal Canadian Mint is a fresh addition to the Celebrating Canada's Diversity series for 2024, specifically honouring Iranian Canadian heritage. It is full of symbols: Eslimi patterns and Shah Abbasi flowers from traditional carpets, lotus flowers reminiscent of Persepolis, and stylized maple leaves. Plus, there’s a paisley pattern circling the mix, pulling everything into a cohesive whole.

Crafted by artist Soheila Esfahani, the design blends historic motifs with symbols of contemporary Canadian life. "I often use cultural objects and patterns that immigrants would bring with them to their new home, and those from Iran would often bring a Persian carpet with them when they move to Canada; therefore, I used traditional Persian carpet designs as my inspiration for this coin," said Esfahani.

The coin comes with a serialized certificate, ensuring its authenticity and making it a keepsake that honours both the past and present.

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