Behind the Design: 100th Anniversary of The Royal Canadian Legion Commemorative $2 Circulation Coin
- Aug 24, 2026
- History
- 2 minute read
This year’s third and final commemorative circulation coin honours The Royal Canadian Legion on its 100th anniversary. Today, the Legion’s ongoing support of Veterans and their families continues, as well as its contributions to stronger, connected communities and year-round promotion of Remembrance.
The artist behind the new $2 coin is Vladyslava Pashchenko of Calgary, Alberta (Castor Legion Branch #119). In 2023, she won the Legion National Foundation Senior Colour Poster Contest, part of the Legion’s annual National Youth Remembrance Contests.
“At the time, I could never have imagined that winning this contest would open the door to opportunities like contributing to [this coin] design,” says Pashchenko. “Working on the design of this coin was both an incredible honor and one of the most meaningful experiences of my artistic journey. Knowing that my design would become part of something with such national significance was both exciting and humbling, and it is an experience I will always cherish.”
Keep reading to learn more about The Royal Canadian Legion $2 coin design.
This year’s third and final commemorative circulation coin honours The Royal Canadian Legion on its 100th anniversary. Today, the Legion’s ongoing support of Veterans and their families continues, as well as its contributions to stronger, connected communities and year-round promotion of Remembrance.
The artist behind the new $2 coin is Vladyslava Pashchenko of Calgary, Alberta (Castor Legion Branch #119). In 2023, she won the Legion National Foundation Senior Colour Poster Contest, part of the Legion’s annual National Youth Remembrance Contests.
“At the time, I could never have imagined that winning this contest would open the door to opportunities like contributing to [this coin] design,” says Pashchenko. “Working on the design of this coin was both an incredible honor and one of the most meaningful experiences of my artistic journey. Knowing that my design would become part of something with such national significance was both exciting and humbling, and it is an experience I will always cherish.”
Keep reading to learn more about The Royal Canadian Legion $2 coin design.
Royal crest
The Legion’s formal ceremonial emblem reflects its national heritage and royal association (granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1960) and incorporates a maple leaf inspired by Canada’s coat of arms.
Silhouettes
On the inner core of the coin, a Legion member offers a poppy flower to a child with their mother.
Poppy
The Poppy on the rim is inspired by the Legion's Poppy Emblem. Since adopting the Poppy as Canada's symbol of Remembrance in 1921, the Legion has served as its national steward, preserving its meaning through the annual National Poppy Campaign.
Motto
The Legion’s Latin motto is “MEMORIAM · EORUM · RETINEBIMUS,” meaning “We Will Remember Them.”
Double dates
Inscribed along the outer rim are “THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION” and “LA LÉGION ROYALE CANADIENNE”, along with “100 YEARS / ANS” and the double dates “1926-2026” reflecting the organization’s 100-year anniversary.
Unending mission to inspire.
“I had many ideas at the beginning of the design process, but I […] found myself returning to the Legion’s crest because it symbolizes the organization’s identity, values, and 100-year legacy. That became the foundation of my design. From there, I wanted every element and every small detail to have a purpose. Rather than creating a design with one fixed interpretation, I wanted to include meaningful symbols that people could connect with in their own way,” says Pashchenko.
“If this coin encourages meaningful conversation and helps people better understand and appreciate the Legion’s legacy, then I believe it has achieved its purpose.”
Honour the Legion’s legacy with the 2026 commemorative $2 circulation coin, marking a century of the organization’s unwavering support and the contributions it continues to make for Veterans, their families, and communities across the country.
The trademarks Poppy Design, LEGION & Design and LEGION are owned and registered by The Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) and are used under licence.
Photos: Legion Magazine archives/The Royal Canadian Legion.