Mint releases new coin to commemorate United Nations 75th anniversary

To mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN) this year, the Royal Canadian Mint commemorated the anniversary with Canada’s 2020 $1 circulation coin to celebrate the nation’s role as a founding member and a contributor to world peace.

“We were an original signatory of the Charter at the conclusion of the San Francisco Conference on June 26, 1945. It’s also a celebration of our values, founded on a strong belief in peace, human rights, and international co-operation –and our work in the UN-led to great achievements, like the creation of peacekeeping and the negotiation of the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines,” expressed Alex Reeves, senior manager of public affairs.

The coin also reminds Canadians that international co-operation is more important than ever while dealing with global challenges like climate change and COVID-19. There are two versions of the coin.

There are two versions of the coin, an uncoloured edition and a colour version. The coin is the first time the mint has launched a coloured Loonie.

Grouped together in a keepsake collector card, the seven-piece set includes both versions (uncoloured and coloured) of the unique $1 coin commemorative circulation coin, highlighting Canada’s role as global citizens by helping to make the world a better place. The set also includes one of each Canadian coin denomination issued in 2020 ($2, $1, 25-, 10- and 5-cent coins) plus two versions of the special themed $1 coin.)

“We consulted the United Nations Association in Canada to get feedback on main design elements, which was shared with artist Joel Kimmel of Westport, Ontario, who created the final design in collaboration with our product development team,” says Reeves.

The design echoes the UN logo, with a world map surrounded by an olive branch wreath and overlaid by a maple leaf. It symbolizes Canada’s commitment to the UN and the global connections it builds through international collaboration.

The reverse design is dated (“1945-2020”) to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and its Charter (“UN CHARTER CHARTRE DE L’ONU”). In a nod to the UN logo, a world map within an olive branch wreath is paired with a maple leaf to symbolize Canada’s commitment to the UN and its values. In the selectively coloured $1 coin, the maple leaf is clad in red. Both versions include a laser mark of a single maple leaf inscribed in a circle. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Reeves explained that these are circulation coins, so they are available at face value. People will generally find them in their change, or they could be available at local bank branches, as these gradually re-supply themselves with new $1 coins in the weeks and months to follow.

To order a set, people can visit here www.mint.ca to order a collector keepsake set featuring both versions, packaged with uncirculated versions of our 2020 classic circulation coins (5-cent to $2). The set retails for $22.95, and mintage is set at 100,000.