2001 Canada Elizabeth II, Year of Volunteers 10 Cents

2001 Canada Elizabeth II, Year of Volunteers 10 Cents : présentation (texte en anglais)

It marked a notable departure from the long-standing Bluenose schooner reverse that had defined the denomination for generations. The commemorative reverse pays tribute to volunteerism, a value deeply woven into Canadian civic life, and makes this one of the relatively few occasions on which the small silver-coloured coin carried a special design instead of its familiar maritime motif. The obverse bears the third effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, created by Canadian sculptor Dora de Pédery-Hunt, the first Canadian artist to design a portrait of the monarch for the nation's coinage. It shows the Queen wearing the Diamond Diadem. Struck by the Royal Canadian Mint at Winnipeg in nickel plated steel composed of 92% steel, 5.5% copper and 2.5% nickel, the coin reflects the Mint's adoption of plating technology, which reduced production costs while preserving the appearance of traditional pure nickel pieces. For collectors, this type holds particular appeal as an accessible commemorative that links everyday Canadian coinage to an international humanitarian theme.