Description

D-Day: A snapshot in time and the view from the sky

We were young, but we had bravery well beyond our years. We didn?t go into Normandy to leave our mark on history ? we went in to liberate France from the Nazis, knowing how much hinged on our success. On land, on water, and in the air, we gave our all for victory at Juno Beach and beyond.

Canada had a frontline view of victory on D-Day, and throughout the Normandy campaign. It was at Juno Beach that 3rd Canadian Infantry Division supported by 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade came ashore on the morning of June 6, 1944. And it was here that valour and sacrifice in the sand, sea and sky laid the foundations of a greater Allied victory, one that extended well beyond the beaches and first-day objectives.

Our year-long commemoration of the Normandy campaign comes to a close with a kilo-sized pi?ce de r?sistance that is a labour of love and a reverent homage to Canada?s veterans.

The sky-high view of Juno Beach shows D-Day from a flyer?s perspective, the highest possible viewpoint that day. Looking down from an RCAF Mustang, one gets a sense of the magnitude of this historic event that was unprecedented in both size and scope. The coordinated combined operations amphibious assault required over a year of planning and training. Attention to detail was key then, and it is crucial on this coin, where even the smallest feature has historical significance.

Nestled in its wooden collector case, your fine silver snapshot is appropriately aged thanks to an antiqued finish, while ultra high relief technology gives it a relief height of nearly 4 millimetres.

It is a stunning ode to a defining moment in our history, one that marked the beginning of the end of the war in Europe.

KEY FEATURES:

Canada on D-Day. Crafted from 1 kilogram of 99.99% fine silver, this ultra high relief coin features a snapshot in time that pays homage to history and the veterans of the Normandy campaign.

Ultra high relief technology adds extraordinary depth on a large scale, with a relief height of up nearly 4 millimetres.

Historical obverse. Just like previous Second World War coins, the obverse features the period-appropriate effigy of King George VI.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

A flyer?s viewpoint. As though looking down from a photo-reconnaissance RCAF Mustang, the aerial view of Canadians on the Berni?res-sur-Mer beach (and beyond) gives a sense of the magnitude of D-Day, which ultimately lead to Victory 11 months later.

Antiqued finish captures the aged look of silver patina.

Outstanding attention to historical details. The design was entirely based on wartime photography, maps and documents in which every detail has been carefully researched to ensure historical accuracy. Every viewing brings renewed appreciation!

The end of a year-long journey of remembrance. Each 2019 Normandy campaign commemorative coin represents a different chapter in the story of Canada in the Normandy campaign. Our final offering brings that story to a close by inviting reflection and remembrance.

DID YOU KNOW?

Nearly 150,000 Allied troops and 7,000 ships took part in the D-Day landings. Canada alone contributed more than 500 men from the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion to the pre-invasion airborne assault; in addition 14,000 soldiers, 10,000 sailors, 110 ships and 15 squadrons were assigned to the Allied landings. While the Royal Canadian Navy transported troops and equipment across the Cannel and fired on coastal defences, Royal Canadian Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons fought for Allied superiority of the skies over the landing sites.

The amphibious assault was code-named ?Operation Neptune,? and D-Day came at the cost of 1,074 Canadian casualties, including 359 lives lost. Canadians suffered heavy losses throughout the Normandy campaign ? the most of any division in the British 2nd Army ? with over 18,700 casualties and more than 5,000 dead.

If you look closely at the engraved reverse, you?ll find: two LCI(L), one LCS(S) and one LCT craft; 42 vehicles, including M4 Sherman and Churchill AVRE tanks, flamethrower WASP 2S, D7 armoured bulldozers, and more; 58 houses, with Canada House (also known as Hoffer House) on the left; and 453 soldiers on craft, in the water and on land. Each of these individual design elements took at least one full week to develop.

DESIGN

Based on wartime photography, maps and documents from the Second World War, the reverse design by Royal Canadian Mint engraver Traian Georgescu features a flyer?s view of Juno Beach ?Nan White? in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. The image is engraved in ultra high relief and shows the D-Day invasion site after the first line of enemy defences were defeated at Berni?res-sur-Mer. Canadian troops are shown disembarking from the Landing Craft Infantry (Large) (LCI(L)) vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy. Moving past the recently breached seawall and past the attending supporting units with their specialized vehicles, the troops are joined by Canadian manned Sherman tanks as the assault forces move off the beaches to push inland and reach their objectives. The reverse includes the word ?JUNO? and the 75th anniversary commemorative dates, ?1944 ? 2019?, all in a military stencil font. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T. H. Paget.

Specifications

Produced By: RCM
Denomination: 250 Dollars
Year: 2019

TECHNICAL SPECS:
Diameter: 102.1mm
Material: Silver
Fineness: 0.9999
Weight: 1006 grams
Bullion Weight: 32.34 Troy Ounces

EXTENDED INFORMATION:
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
Artist: Traian Georgescu
Finish: Antiqued
Quantity Produced: 400
Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II