In response to increasing market demand for greater transparency in the provenance of precious metals, and to showcase its continually evolving refining capabilities, the Mint is introducing its first gold bullion coin completely sourced from a single mine.
The 2022 $50 1 oz. 99.99% Pure Gold Maple Leaf Single-Sourced Mine bullion coin is entirely composed of gold extracted by Agnico Eagle at its Meliadine Mine in Nunavut (Canada) and expertly refined by the Mint, under a rigorous segregation protocol.
This special gold bullion coin will soon be available through the Mint’s network of official bullion distributors.
"Precious metal investors have long trusted the Royal Canadian Mint for the market-leading purity and security of its bullion products. As an LBMA-accredited Good Delivery refiner, they can also count on us for responsibly sourcing the gold and silver we refine," said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.
"By launching a new bullion coin made of gold sourced entirely from Agnico Eagle’s Meliadine mine, we are also showing the market that we can offer bullion with the highest possible integrity, guaranteeing that it originates from a single Canadian mine."
"Agnico Eagle is proud to be a partner of choice as a trusted source of responsibly produced gold for the Royal Canadian Mint’s first-ever single-source mined gold bullion coin," said Ammar Al-Joundi, President and CEO of Agnico Eagle Mines.
"We have built a strong culture of responsible behaviour and have been responsibly developing Canadian mineral resources in Nunavut for more than 13 years. We strive to be a good employer and a good neighbour and we are proud of the value we bring to the local communities and society in general. We do believe that mining, when done right, can contribute to building a better world."
The reverse of the Mint’s first-ever single-source mined pure gold coin features Walter Ott’s detailed engraving of a Sugar Maple leaf, the hallmark of the Mint’s Maple Leaf family of bullion coins.
This central design is also surrounded by an array of precisely machined radial lines. Beneath it appears a micro-engraved maple leaf-shaped security mark containing the engraving of the number "22", only visible under magnification, to denote the coin’s year of issue. Adjacent to the security feature is a privy mark of a hand cradling a globe, symbolizing the single-source provenance of the coin’s 99.99% pure gold. The coin is also protected by Bullion DNATM technology.
This exceptional gold bullion coin is encapsulated in credit card-style packaging that includes a certificate of purity and authenticity signed by the Mint’s Chief Assayer.
Since its founding in 1957, Canada-based Agnico Eagle has grown into Canada’s largest miner of Canadian gold, as well as the world’s third-largest gold producer overall.
Its Meliadine mine, which began commercial production in 2019, is the company’s second gold mine in the Kivalliq District of Nunavut.
With the exception of limited offerings at its Ottawa and Winnipeg boutiques, the Mint does not sell bullion directly to the public. This practice is consistent with the distribution model common to the world’s major issuers of bullion coins. Interested buyers are encouraged to contact a reputable bullion dealer to order new bullion coins.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. The Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.
About Agnico Eagle
Agnico Eagle is a senior Canadian gold mining company, producing precious metals from operations in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico. It has a pipeline of high-quality exploration and development projects in these countries as well as in the United States and Colombia. Agnico Eagle is a partner of choice within the mining industry, recognized globally for its leading environmental, social and governance practices. The Company was founded in 1957 and has consistently created value for its shareholders, declaring a cash dividend every year since 1983. For more information, visit www.agnicoeagle.com.
I’m not sure I’d want an encapsulated card for this coin, as I would want it graded and slabbed. I don’t want to damage it removing it from the card.
Would not be surprised if NGC or PCGS creates a new slab to encapsulate the card with the coin intact. That would look pretty neat though.
The GSA Morgan Dollars were not cracked open from their original GSA slab, but yet they still get graded as is, it would be the same scenario.
You got that right! I see CAC is now going into the business full-fledged themselves.
… and steamrollers.
…and Zambonis
Agreed.
I concur.
Good point, but there are MS70 and PR70 bullion coins, as well as MS68 and PR68 coins. It’s the difference in the value of the coin. A PR70 1995 W ASE is worth significantly more than a PR68 of the same coin.
Hi Major D,
I noticed your absence. Welcome back briefly.
It was definitely a team effort (and you yourself held a key position), but thank you for the kind words. I am really enjoying the current atmosphere here as well. Just like I used to remember it being here when I first started following this site at least a decade ago-informative and (the part that really stood out to me) welcoming.
Take care, Major D.
Major D, the only caveat I would add to grading a bullion ASE is if you think it would grade as a 70. ASE’s are stamped out and put into a tube which is a lot of jostling causing marks and dings on the bullion coins. Thus a 70 bullion is quite rare compared to a proof or burnished coins and prices for them reflect that.
Excellent question Major D. I do not have that information. But it is worthy of looking into. My only frame of reference is looking at Numismedia coin prices and the price jump from MS 69 to 70 is huge for ASE bullion. Who knows, the average could be less than 1 MS-70 per 500 ct. green box. Looking at the ‘95 W ASE Proof the jump from ‘69-70 is huge too. I am guessing that it has more to do with not many have been broken out of the gold set and thus TPG grades are rare to begin with.… Read more »
Major D, you can find the comparative numbers of MS-69 vs MS-70 versus PR/PF-69 vs PR/PF-70 versus (uncirculated/burnished) SP/MS-69 vs SP/MS-70 for any and all graded ASE/AGE/APE/APdE coins by using the free, up-to-date online PCGS Population Reports and the NGC Census population reports (note, these tallies would not include the numbers for ANACS and ICG graded coins).
Major D, how nice to hear from you again. Your comment is completely correct and there is nothing wrong with what you said regarding U.S. Bullion coins and mint marks. Referring to all the US Mint Bullion Coins Legislated by Congress beginning with Public Law 99-185 [December 15, 1985] Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985 (American Eagle Gold Bullion Coins) and Public Law 99-61 [July 9, 1985] Title II – Liberty Coins (American Eagle Silver Bullion One Ounce Coins), they are all broadly categorized as Bullion Coins (1986 to Date), regardless of the Finish or Mint and Mint Mark. Using… Read more »
And apparently, if it has a CAC sticker attached to the slab, it’s extra verified and at times gains the seller an extra premium in value.
I purchased a nice Bluenose Silver commemorative coin from the RCM and am thoroughly happy with it. Very nice strike and beautiful appearance.