About 2019 $20 Fine Silver Coin - Lest We Forget [174546]

A Murano tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice

It reminds us of sacrifices made in times of war and in the defence of peace. When woven into a wreath and laid upon our monuments, the bright red poppy acts as a solemn mark from a grateful nation ? one that promises to never forget.

A Murano glass poppy (a first for us) tops our 2019 tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in the service of our county.

Behind this red flower of Remembrance, the engraved design is based on the poppy wreaths laid at the foot of our war memorials each November 11. Its cross-shaped ribbon bears the promise made to the fallen, even as it stretches across the famous wildflowers of Flanders.

KEY FEATURES:

• Annual theme. This 2019 commemorative coin is part of our annual rite of remembrance.
• Our first Murano poppy. A handcrafted Murano poppy is a glass symbol of remembrance on this fine silver tribute to courage, dedication and sacrifice.
• Exquisite sculpting. Frostings add depth to the design while emphasizing the beautifully engraved details, like the gentle curl of the poppy petals and foliage.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Incuse text. The incuse text is a pledge to remember all who have fallen, and to acknowledge the valour of all who serve.
• Individual attention. The engraved poppies have been individually sculpted and frosted to emphasize the individual stories of remembrance behind our collective memory of sacrifice.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Written in 1915, the poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae of Guelph, Ont., inspired the international campaign behind the poppy symbol of remembrance.
• Poppies flourished in Flanders during the Napoleonic Wars but disappeared soon after the battles ended. It was the same with the First World War: bombardments disrupted the chalky soil and infused it with lime from the rubble, thus creating favourable conditions for Popaver rhoeas to (briefly) appear on the battlefields.
• In 1921, the Great War Veteran?s Association in Canada ? the predecessor of the Royal Canadian Legion ? officially adopted the poppy as a Flower of Remembrance.
• Today, the poppy honours the memory of the 117,000 Canadian servicemen and women who lost their lives. It is worn during the Remembrance Day period, from the last Friday in October to November 11.
• If you remember having a lapel poppy with a green centre, you?re not wrong: the black centre changed to green in 1980, then back to black again in 2002 to reflect the poppy?s actual colours.

DESIGN

The reverse design by artist Kerri Weller is based on the poppy wreaths that are a common sight at commemorative services held each November 11 in Canada (Remembrance Day). A solemn symbol of remembrance, a red Murano glass poppy is centrally positioned against the coin?s proof finish. A wreath of poppies (Papaver rhoeas) forms a circular shape that represents continuity and hope behind the cross-shaped ribbon that bears the incuse text ?LEST WE FORGET? N?OUBLIONS JAMAIS?. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.