Since the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, the Royal Canadian Mint has struck Summer and Winter Olympic coins to mark games held in Canada.
History One of the earliest numismatic collection was the Olympic five- and ten-dollar coins for the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Starting in 1973, the RCM issued four coin sets (two five-dollar coins and two ten-dollar coins). At the behest of the federal government, led by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, it was agreed that these coins would help finance while commemorate the 1976 Summer Olympics. The plan was to have thirty coins, twenty-eight silver coins with face values of $5 and $10, and two gold coins with face values of $100. They are the first of the modern Olympic coins with face values of one hundred dollars. Due to the incredibly high mintage (over 20 million coins were produced), these coins have no investment value whatsoever. Most of these coins today are usually sold for their silver content.
After the Olympic coin venture, the numismatic line expanded to include $100 gold coins. These were premium coins that sold for higher than face value. The common issue price from 1977 to 1979 ranged from $140 to $180. The cases for these coins tended to be brown or black leatherette cases with maroon or blue inserts, and a certificate of authenticity. Of all these coins, the only one that had any significant increase in value on the secondary market was the 2002 Alberta Strikes Oil coin.
Heading into the 1980s, the Olympics returned to Canada. The city of Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. Starting in 1985, the federal government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, issued a ten-coin set to help finance and commemorate the Olympic games. These coins were issued in proof quality only and were sold with the partnership of the Royal Bank of Canada. Part of the agreement with Royal Bank was that these coins could be redeemed for their face value. Unlike the Montreal coins, mintage was limited to 5,000,000 coins; this would mark the first time that any silver coin had edge lettering on it, with the inscription reading "XV OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES – JEUX D'OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER"
On February 23, 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint held a press conference in Calgary, Alberta, to announce the release of the Vancouver Olympic commemorative coins. The denomination for the Vancouver Olympic coins is twenty-five dollars."Olympic commems to sport $25 face, Bret Evans, Canadian Coin News, January 9 to 22, 2007 The twenty-five dollar coins are the first modern Olympic coins ever to have a hologram on the reverse.
1976 Montreal Summer Games
Most numismatists agree that the first true numismatic collection was the Olympic five- and ten-dollar coins for the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Starting in February 1973, the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) engaged in a very ambitious program. At the behest of the federal government, led by then-Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, it was agreed that these coins would help finance and commemorate the 1976 Summer Olympics.
The plan was to have thirty coins, twenty-eight silver coins with face values of $5 and $10, and two gold coins. This would signify the first time that the RCM issued coins with face values of $5 and $10 since 1914. These coins would be categorized into seven series with each series configured into four coin sets (two five dollar coins and two ten dollar coins).Striking Impressions, James A. Haxby, 1983, p.234, The seven series were constituted as follows:
Geographic Olympic Motifs Early Canadian Sports Olympic Track and Field Sports Olympic Water Sports Olympic Team and Body Contact Sports Olympic Souvenirs
The $10 denomination coins have a gross weight of 48.600 grams while the $5 denomination coins have a gross weight of 24.300 grams. Each coin is 92.5% silver for a net silver weight of 44.955 grams (1.4453 troy ounces) and 22.478 grams (0.7227 troy ounces) of silver respectively.
A key highlight of these coins were the standardized designs and the unique finishes. All 28 coins were styled in a similar fashion. The top aspect of the coin had the Olympic logo, its denomination, and the wording in the same spot.Striking Impressions, James A. Haxby, 1983, p.232, The finishes consisted of two different styles that had never been used on Canadian coinage. The first finish was a satin or frosted effect which adorned the coin. The second finish was a proof finish, which consisted of frosted lettering and a design set off against a brilliant mirror field. The RCM had to obtain special equipment to achieve the desired finish.
A very limited number of the $5 and $10 coins were initially sold by the bank in styrofoam packing and the coins were NOT encapsulated. The coins could be purchased loose, and individually
1976 Montreal Olympic Coins
Series 1 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)1973110 dollarsMap of WorldGeorges Huel543,098$12.00$14.0025 dollarsMap of North America537,898$6.00$7.50310 dollarsMontreal SkylineIncluded in mintage of coin 1$12.00$14.0045 dollarsKingston and Sailboats Included in mintage of coin 2$6.00$7.50
Series 2 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)1974510 dollarsHead of ZeusAnthony Mann1,990,570$15.00$17.0065 dollarsAthlete with Torch1,974,939$7.50$9.00710 dollarsTemple of ZeusIncluded in mintage of coin 5$15.00$17.0085 dollarsOlympic Rings and Wreath Included in mintage of coin 6$7.50$9.00
Series 3 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)1974910 dollarsLacrosseKen Danby1,990,570$15.75$17.00105 dollarsCanoeing1,974,939$8.00$9.001110 dollarsCyclingIncluded in mintage of coin 9$15.75$17.00125 dollarsRowing Included in mintage of coin 10$8.00$9.00
Series 4 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)19751310 dollarsMen's HurdlesLeo Yerxa1,985,000$15.75$17.00145 dollarsMarathon2,476,217$8.00$9.001510 dollarsWomen's Shot PutIncluded in mintage of coin 13$15.75$17.00165 dollarsWomen's Javelin Included in mintage of coin 14$8.00$9.00
Series 5 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)19751710 dollarsPaddlingLynda Cooper1,985,000$15.75$17.00185 dollarsDiving2,476,217$8.00$9.001910 dollarsSailingIncluded in mintage of coin 17$15.75$17.00205 dollarsSwimming Included in mintage of coin 18$8.00$9.00
Series 6 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)19762110 dollarsField HockeyShigeo Fukada1,887,630$15.75$17.0022 5 dollarsFencing1,985,257$8.00$9.002310 dollarsSoccerIncluded in mintage of coin 21$15.75$17.00245 dollarsBoxing Included in mintage of coin 22$8.00$9.00
Series 7 YearCoin numberFace valueThemeArtistMintageIssue price (encapsulated)Issue price (standard case)19762510 dollarsOlympic StadiumElliott John Morrison1,887,629$15.75$17.001976265 dollarsOlympic Village1,985,257$8.00$9.0019762710 dollarsOlympic VelodromeIncluded in mintage of coin 25$15.75$17.001976285 dollarsOlympic Flame Included in mintage of coin 26$8.00$9.00
100 dollar gold YearThemeArtistMintageIssue price1976Olympic Commemorative (14 karat)Dora de Pédery-Hunt650,000$105.00Olympic Commemorative (22 karat)350,000$150.00
1988 Calgary Winter Games
Heading into the 1980s, the Olympics would return to Canada. The city of Calgary would host the 1988 Winter Olympics. Starting in 1985, the Federal Government, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, issued a ten coin set to help finance and commemorate the Olympic games. In similar style to the Montreal Olympics, the RCM would introduce coins with a face value that had never been used before. Said coins would feature a $20 face value. These coins were issued in Proof quality only, and were sold with the partnership of the Royal Bank of Canada. Unlike the Montreal coins, mintage was limited to 5,000,000 coins and this would mark the first time that any silver coin had edge lettering on it. Said lettering was 'XV OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES - JEUX D'OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER.' Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 60th Edition, W.K. Cross, 2006. p.354, There are existing varieties that have missed the edge lettering process.The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 60th Anniversary Edition, W.K. Cross, p. 354, The Charlton Press, 2006, The 10 coins were also available in a green felt case with an Olympic logo on the outside and a Royal Canadian Mint medallion on the inside. The cost was $370. The medallion could be removed and the gold coin, offered separately, could be placed into its place. The numbered and signed Certificate of Authenticity was included in the cases internal cover recess. The entire case was fit into a white cardboard sleeve with the Olympic logo on the outside.
1988 Calgary Olympic Coins YearSeriesSportArtistMintageIssue priceFaceRCM Certificate of AuthenticityWeightComposition1985First SeriesDownhill SkiingIan Stewart406,360$37.00$2034.107 grams92.5% Ag/7.5% CuSpeed SkatingFriedrich Peter354,2221986Second SeriesHockeyIan Stewart396,602BiathlonJohn Mardon308,086Third SeriesCross-Country SkiingIan Stewart303,199$39.50Free-Style SkiingWalter Ott294,322Fourth SeriesSki-JumpingRaymond Taylor334,875CurlingIan Stewart286,4571987Fifth SeriesFigure SkatingRaymond Taylor290,954$42.00BobsleighJohn Mardon274,326
One hundred dollar gold YearThemeArtistMintageIssue priceFace valueWeightComposition1987XV Olympic Winter GamesFriedrich Peter145,175$255.00$10013.338 grams58.33% Au/41.67% Ag
Olympic Centennial
The International Olympic Committee decided to commemorate the Centennial of the Olympic Games by issuing a coin set. This was a collaborative effort with five Mints contributing coins. The first three coins were issued by the RCM in 1992. The other Mints included Austria, Australia, France, and Greece.
Two of the coins were silver with a face value of $15 while the third coin was gold and had a face value of $175. The $15 coins were sold individually or in a set. The individual coins were packaged in a burgundy leatherette case while the set was featured in a wooden display case. Both $15 coins featured lettering on its edge: CITIUS, ALTIUS, FORTIUS.Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 60th Edition, W.K. Cross, 2006. p.349, The $175 coin featured a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Juan Antonio Samaranch. The lettering on its edge was the same as the lettering found on the silver coins. There are a few very rare examples of these coins with a plain edge (no edge lettering). These plain edge coins were once held by the investment firm responsible for the $50 million Ohio Coingate Scandal.
100th anniversary coins YearThemeArtistMintageFace valueIssue price WeightComposition1992Speed Skater, Pole Vaulter, GymnastDavid Craig105,645$15.00$46.9536.63 grams92.5% AgSpeed Skater, Pole Vaulter, Gymnast - Plain Edge VarietyDavid CraigLess than 25Spirit of the GenerationsStewart SherwoodIncluded in mintage of first coinFlame22,092$175.00$429.7516.97 grams91.6% Au/8.4% Ag
2004-2016 Olympics
Circulation coins
Lucky Loonie
For the first time, the 2010 Olympic Lucky Loonie does not have a loon on it, instead has the 2010 Vancouver winter Olympic symbol ilanaaq, an inukshuk. YearThemeArtistMintage2004Lucky LoonieR.R. Carmichael6,526,0002006Jean-Luc Grondin10,495,0002006 Royal Canadian Mint Annual Report, p. 46200810,841,0002010Susanna Blunt10,250,0002012Emily S. Damstra5,000,00020142016Derek Wicks
First Strikes YearThemeMintageIssue price2006Lucky Loonie20,010$15.95
Numismatic coins