Composition : 99.99% silver
Mintage : 10,000

Emblem of aNation's Spirit

From backpackers in Berlin to peacekeepers in Pakistan, Canadians are immediately identifiable by a singular image they faithfully sport on pins, badges, and appliqués: the red maple leaf.

This lyrical cipher has symbolized Canada and Canadians for nearly three hundred years. Historians generally recognize theadoption of the maple leaf by Quebec's Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste inMontréal in 1836 as the first official use of the symbol to representan element of Canadian culture.

The symbol was soon popularized in print, song, and in the small markers - such as lapel pins - with which Canadian residents of various origins honoured their homelands. The English had their roses, the Scots their thistle, the Irish their shamrocks, and the French their fleur-de-lis - and native-born Canadians quickly chose the prosaic maple leaf.

The idea of including the maple leaf on Canada's national flag took root with Lester B. Pearson in World War I, when he noted that every Canadian battalion had included some form of the maple leaf in its insignia. Fifty years later, in 1965, under his leadership as prime minister, Canada's famous red-and-white maple leaf flag was born.

In addition to themaple leaf's presence on various provincial flags and coats of arms, the country's coinage has featured maple leaves, wreaths, and boughs in various forms for most of Canada's history. In fact, the maple leaf was present on all Canadian coins from 1876 to 1901, and on Canadian pennies until 2012.

 

MAPLE LEAF IMPRESSION - 2013 CANADIAN COINS is categorised COINS AND PAPER MONEY / 08- ROYAL CANADIAN MINT / 12- MAPLE LEAVES and sold by l'Imaginaire, a store and specialised website.