March 1, 2012 – The Royal Canadian Mint announces a new 2011-dated 25-cent circulation coin celebrating the revered and admired Orca. This new coin, which has entered circulation on February 9, 2012, joins a one-dollar circulation coin dedicated to the centennial of Parks Canada; a two-dollar coin featuring Canada’s Boreal Forest; and a 25-cent coin honouring the Wood Bison, in celebrating Canada’s legendary nature. It will be followed by a 25-cent coin which will feature the Peregrine Falcon as this commemorative series concludes. All five of these special circulation coins are inspired by the theme of “our legendary nature”; a core element of Canadian pride and identity.
“The Royal Canadian Mint is proud that its five special commemorative circulation coins, produced at its Winnipeg, Manitoba facility create a permanent tribute to Canada’s legendary nature and raise awareness of this vital aspect of our heritage,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “An icon of Canada’s Pacific Coast and a powerful symbol of First Nations culture which also inhabits our Atlantic waters, the Orca is a truly national treasure which belongs on a new circulation coin for Canadians to collect, learn about and enjoy.”
Orca porpoising. Photo: Minette Layne / Wikipedia.
Equally at home in Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts, the Orca is a highly social sea mammal, of which some populations are considered threatened or endangered. Thanks to active conservation efforts, significant Orca pods have found sanctuary near the British Columbia mainland in places such as the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada and the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve.
Both versions of the new 25-cent circulation coin, uncoloured and coloured.
In celebration of this inspiring creature, the Mint’s newest 25-cent circulation coin features an artistic interpretation of an Orca which is enhanced by the addition of blue colour (symbolizing its marine habitat) on half of the 12.5 million circulation coins dedicated to this theme. The Mint remains unique in the world by being the only producer of coloured circulation coins since 2004.
The Mint will also invite members of the public to trade their loose change for the 25-cent Orca circulation coin at its boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver from February 9 to 11, 2012.
A free collector card in which all five coins in the Legendary Nature series can be kept, will also be distributed to the public at these locations, as well as the Mint’s special coin exchange at the Vancouver Aquarium on February 9. While supplies last, Canadians may also visit www.mint.ca/legendary to exchange three dollars for a special “circulation pack” of twelve new Wood Bison, Orca and Peregrine Falcon circulation coins, containing two coloured and two non-coloured versions of each coin.
The public can also order a special uncirculated coin set as well as a variety of gold and silver collector coins complementing the compelling series of 2011 commemorative circulation coins. This selection of finely crafted, limited-edition collector coins featuring the Wood Bison; the Orca; and the Peregrine Falcon; and Canada’s boreal forest includes a series of four 50-cent 1/25 ounce 99.99% pure gold coins and four $10 face value 99.99% pure silver coins.
A sterling silver set of all three 25-cent coins featuring the colour version of the circulation coin designs and a special-edition uncirculated set featuring all five Legendary Nature circulation coins, including the coloured and non-coloured versions of the 25-cent coins are also available.
For further information on this coin and other products visit the website of the Royal Canadian Mint.
In a delphinarium in southern France the birth of an Orca was filmed. You can watch the impressing video clip here.