August 15, 2013 – To join Canadians in honouring Canada’s Korean War veterans, the Royal Canadian Mint has issued a special edition, 99.99% pure silver dollar commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean Armistice.
Canada / $1 / silver .999 / Mintage: 10,000.
In adapting the Korea Medal design for this coin, Royal Canadian Mint engravers faithfully preserved Edward Carter Preston’s original depiction of Hercules, the idealized warrior from Greek mythology, slaying the indomitable hydra-headed monster as an allegory for the perilous struggles of war, and a tribute to those who freely go to battle. In addition, the original engraving of “KOREA” has been expanded to include “COREE”, to reflect Canada’s official bilingualism.
Along with the Mary Gillick effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the word “CANADA” appeared on the Korea Medal’s obverse in order to distinguish medals awarded to Canadian military personnel. This same effigy, used on Canadian circulation coinage 60 years ago, returns to the obverse of this 2013-dated fine silver coin.
From left to right: Bill Black, President of the Korea Veterans Association, Royal Canadian Mint President and CEO Ian E. Bennett, the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Senator Yonah Martin, and the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Canada, Cho Hee-yong unveiled the new collector coin at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.
“During this, the Year of the Korean War Veteran, our government is pleased that the Royal Canadian Mint is honouring Canada’s Korean War veterans with a new collector coin commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Korean Armistice,” said the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for la Francophonie. “This inspiring silver coin is an excellent tribute to the more than 26,000 Canadian men and women in uniform who came to the aid of South Koreans during the Korean War, and in particular the 516 Canadians who gave their lives in service to defend the values of peace and freedom.”
“The Royal Canadian Mint has honoured Canada’s veterans through many coins in recent years and it is proud to honour them once more with a special edition silver dollar commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean Armistice,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “By preserving the central design of the original Korea Medal awarded to Commonwealth forces who served in the Korean War and donating part of the proceeds from the sale of each coin to Canadian Korean War Veteran organizations, the Mint is remembering and thanking thousands of Canadian men and women for their historic efforts and sacrifices.”
For more information on this silver collector coin please visit the website of The Royal Canadian Mint.
For listening to an interview on YouTube with Jamie Desrochers, Product Manager at the Royal Canadian Mint, discussing the new collector coin, click here.
More information on the Korean War you’ll get here.
For a look at The Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of Korean War Commemoration Committee, just click here.
And this is the website of the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C.