World’s First Coloured Circulation Coin
This article was originally written and submitted as part of a Canada 150 Project, the Innovation Storybook, to crowdsource stories of Canadian innovation with partners across Canada. The content has since been migrated to Ingenium’s Channel, a digital hub featuring curated content related to science, technology and innovation.
World’s First Coloured Circulation Coin
In 2004, the Royal Canadian Mint became a trailblazer in the minting industry when it introduced the world’s first coloured circulation coin. The 25-cent coin was produced at the Mint’s Winnipeg plant using a high-speed, computer controlled and precision inkjet process. The coin featured a brilliant red poppy, the symbol of remembrance that pays homage to the brave Canadian men and women who gave their lives in service to this nation, as well as the many veterans who helped to secure our freedom. Thirty million coins went into circulation in October 2004.
Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint offers several services to businesses and foreign governments. We pride ourselves on the high standards of our outsourced coin production, storage, assay, reference and analysis tools, as well as our world-class refinery.
