It was 100 years ago that a new, distinctive coat ofarms was created for Canada. But before that, a dizzying array of heraldic art celebrated and represented a young nation that had yet to come into its own.

One of those concepts has been plucked from the national archives and brought to life on this fine silver kilo coin. Its design is based on a 1912 drawing of Canadian heraldic emblems. And while the historic style itself is captivating, it’s what’s missing from the composition that provides rare insight into Canada’s heraldic past.

It’s an unforgettable mix of history, heraldry and art as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Arms of Canada.

• From the archives. In honour of the 100th anniversary of the Arms of Canada (1921-2021), we dug deep into Canada’s heraldicpast and Library and Archives Canada’s collection to bring you a heraldic art treasure.
• A pure silver kilo. Your coin is beautifully crafted in one kilogram of 99.99% pure silver and hand-polished to proof perfection!
• A centennial program. Part of a yearlong 100th anniversary celebration of the Arms of Canada.
• Includes serialized certificate. The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
• No GST/HST

A chaotic heraldic era: 1867-1921
After Confederation, Canada experienced a period of expansion that is reflected in the wildly different heraldic designs of the era. The four-province shield assigned to the Dominion of Canada in 1868 for use as the Great Seal was a popular starting point for artists and amateur heralds: some surrounded it with Canadian art elements; others augmented it with the emblems of each new province and territory, resulting in a chaotic shield with up to nine quarterings. The different iterations appeared on documents, postcards, dishes and other memorabilia, and it was this lack of consensus that inspired the formation of a committee in 1919 to obtain new armorial bearings.

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