The Currency Act and The Canadian Criminal Code clearly state that no person shall melt down, break up or use otherwise than as currency any coin that is legal tender in Canada.

Canada’s circulation coins are the most secure in the world. Over the past several years we have tested a sampling of circulation coins across the country to determine whether counterfeiting is a concern. The sampling results have concluded that circulation coin counterfeiting is not a widespread issue in Canada.

The introduction of multiple security features on $1 and $2 circulation coins in 2012 offers an even higher level of protection against coin counterfeiting.

While the Royal Canadian Mint produces all circulation coins in Canada, as well as numismatic coins for purchase, any investigation into counterfeit currency must be initiated by the police. If you suspect you have a counterfeit coin in your possession, you should report it to your local police.

Local law enforcement may work with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police once a complaint is filed.

We encourage customers to purchase numismatic coins only from reputable coin dealers. Please consult our comprehensive list here.

The Mint Mark is designed to promote our reputation for high quality and innovation. While it acknowledges the Royal Canadian Mint as the source of all Canadian circulation coins, it also enhances public awareness of the corporation and its role in the Canadian currency system.

We receive many suggestions for coin themes every year and base our design selections on several criteria.

We pride ourself on depicting themes of significance to Canadians, therefore all designs must reflect Canada’s heritage, culture and values, and commemorate, celebrate and promote Canada.

It can take up to two years for a coin concept to be released as an actual coin. We also regularly conduct market research to assess the popularity of proposed themes, and even welcome suggestions from the general public

Coin Theme Suggestion Process

1. Submissions for non-circulation (collector) or circulation coins may be submitted online or mailed to:
   
   Product Team
   Royal Canadian Mint
   320 Sussex Drive
   Ottawa, Ontario
   K1A 0G8

In order to properly evaluate a submission, it is suggested that the following information be included:

• Theme or anniversary and any relevant dates or celebratory events;
  • If a theme is tied to an anniversary, the submission should be made at least two calendar years out as product marketing and production plans are developed well in advance.
• Any relevant promotional activity surrounding the theme or anniversary;
• Background information (i.e. historical, Web links);
• Requestor’s contact information;

You understand and agree when you submit your coin theme suggestion to the Royal Canadian Mint that: (1) your coin theme suggestions and their contents will automatically become the property of the Royal Canadian Mint, without any compensation to you; (2) the Royal Canadian Mint may use or redistribute coin theme suggestions and their contents for any purpose and in any way; (3) there is no obligation for the Royal Canadian Mint to review these coin theme suggestions; (4) there is no obligation to keep any submissions confidential; and (5) you are not violating any agreement or understanding you have with another party, including current or former employer.

2. A formal response is drafted and sent, in order to confirm receipt of suggestion.
3. The Royal Canadian Mint’s marketing team conducts bi-annual market research to evaluate themes and their emotional and commercial appeal with our coin buyers. In addition, themes must:
   
   
   1. Reflect Canada’s heritage, values and culture;
   2. Be appropriate to the currency of Canada and commemorate, celebrate, or promote Canada by depicting themes of significance to Canadians;
   3. Any text on a coin must be in both of Canada’s official languages.
4. All coin products are subject to Government approval:
• Non-circulation coin designs are the responsibility of the Minister responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint;
• Circulation coins are authorized by Order in Council.
5. Upcoming issues of circulation coins are communicated through mass advertising. Non-circulation coins are launched through various marketing activities including coin events, catalogues and direct marketing.

The decision on the permanent obverse lies exclusively with the Government of Canada. As Canada’s coin manufacturer, we will apply our considerable skill and expertise producing royal effigies on Canadian coins to the important and historic task the Government has assigned us.

The first coin officially made at the Royal Canadian Mint was a fifty-cent circulation coin. Governor General Earl Grey activated the press on January 2, 1908, which struck Canada’s first domestically produced coin. A few moments later, the Countess Grey struck the second coin ever produced at the Royal Canadian Mint – a copper penny.

Since opening in 1908, the Royal Canadian Mint’s mandate has been to produce and distribute circulation coins in support of Canadian commerce. The production of banknotes is the responsibility of the Bank of Canada. You can contact the Bank of Canada at 1-800-303-1282, or info@bankofcanada.ca, or visit the Bank of Canada’s website.

The 50-cent coin is legal tender in Canada. In recent decades the 50-cent coin is no longer requested by financial institutions and consumers for day-to-day transactions, therefore it is now issued in limited quantities and packaged in special wrap rolls for collectors.

To learn more about the mintages of each circulation coin denomination in Canada visit the Canadian Circulation Coins section.

The decision to issue a new circulation coin denomination is the exclusive responsibility of the Canadian government. There are currently no plans to add a $5 coin to Canada’s coinage system.

In Economic Action Plan 2012, the Government of Canada announced that it would modernize Canada’s currency set by removing the penny from circulation. While the coins remain legal tender, the Royal Canadian Mint stopped distributing pennies on February 4, 2013.

The Government of Canada phased out the penny due to its rising cost of production relative to face value, the increased accumulation of pennies by Canadians in their households, environmental considerations, and the significant handling costs the penny imposes on retailers, financial institutions and the economy in general.

Only the Government of Canada has the mandate to remove a coin denomination from circulation and it has no plans to eliminate the five-cent coin.

We do not accept damaged or mutilated coins. Consumers are encouraged to visit a financial institution branch at which they already have an account to redeem the value of their coins.

Recycling coins is a cost effective and efficient way for the Royal Canadian Mint to provide coins to the marketplace and it has less impact than producing new coins. It has also allowed us to remove billions of pennies from circulation. Learn more about our coin recycling program.

A federal Crown corporation in Canada is a corporation distinct legal entity established by the federal government to deliver public policy and is wholly owned either directly or indirectly by the government. While Crown corporations are instruments of public policy, many also operate in a business commercial environment. Some Crown corporations are completely funded by government; others are self-sufficient or profit-making, like the Royal Canadian Mint.

On a day-to-day basis, Crown corporations operate at arm’s length from the government. The responsible Minister determines the Corporation’s broad policy directions while a Board of Directors is responsible for the day-to-day operations, strategic direction and management performance of the organization.

Our Ottawa facility produces hand-crafted collector coins (numismatic), bullion products in pure gold, silver, platinum, as well as medals and medallions. It is here that all the master tooling is done to create the dies that strike coin designs for both circulation and commemorative issues. Our gold and silver refining, assay laboratory and engraving operations are also located in Ottawa.

Our Winnipeg facility is primarily a high-tech, high-volume circulation coin manufacturing and plating facility, where all of Canada’s circulation coinage is produced. Production capacity averages up to 20 million coins per day. We also produce foreign circulation coins in Winnipeg. Since opening its doors in 1976, Winnipeg has produced coinage for over 75 different foreign countries.

Both Ottawa and Winnipeg have their own research and development laboratories.

Coin-related resources can be found here.

We provide storage services for Royal Canadian Mint-branded precious metals in our vaults. This service is not offered directly to individuals, but through business-to-business accounts. Metals dealers may have a storage account with the Royal Canadian Mint or can arrange to open one on behalf of their customers.

The Royal Canadian Mint’s gold and silver ETRs provide investors with a secure, convenient and low-cost direct investment in physical gold or silver. We have issued ETRs under our Canadian Gold Reserves and Canadian Silver Reserves programs, which provide holders with direct legal and beneficial ownership in physical bullion held in the custody of the Mint at our facilities.  ETRs are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the trading symbols “MNT” and “MNT.U” for gold, and “MNS” and “MNS.U” for silver.  Additional information on the Canadian Gold Reserves program, the Canadian Silver Reserves program and ETRs is available on the programs’ respective websites and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 

DISCLAIMER: An investment in ETRs involves certain risks. Losses may be incurred both as a result of gold or silver price diminution and if any price gains do not exceed applicable fees described in the relevant information statement. An investor could lose all or a significant portion of his or her investment in the ETRs. Accordingly, the investment may not be suitable for persons unfamiliar with the gold and silver markets, as applicable, or unwilling or unable to bear the risk attendant to a security of this type.  Prospective purchasers of ETRs should consider carefully these risks before making an investment decision. For additional information on risk factors that have the potential to affect the ETRs, the Canadian Gold Reserves program, the Canadian Silver Reserves program or the Mint, reference should be made to the latest gold and silver ETR information statements accessible via www.reserves.mint.ca and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.  ETRs may not be offered or sold in any jurisdiction outside of Canada except in circumstances which do not constitute a public offering or distribution under the laws of the jurisdiction where the ETRs are to be offered or sold. The Mint and the selling agents require persons into whose possession ETR information statements come to inform themselves of and observe any and all such restrictions. In particular, the ETRs have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons. No securities.

The Royal Canadian Mint invites visitors year-round to take guided tours at both our Ottawa and Winnipeg facilities to discover more about the exciting world of coin production. Take a look at our Tours section for complete details.

Section 8 (2) of The Currency Act sets limits for allowable payments with coins. Please visit the Department of Justice for further information.

We do not provide information on the value of coins other than face value. A local coin dealer will be able to assist in determining the authenticity and value of a specific coin. 

To enquire about job opportunities at the Royal Canadian Mint visit our careers section.

Yes. Please refer to our Intellectual Property Policy for more information.

For information on how to request permission to obtain and/or reproduce images of intellectual property belonging to the Royal Canadian Mint visit our Intellectual Property page.

Premium Bullion in special packaging is an uncirculated bullion coin or bar which comes in Royal Canadian Mint authorized packaging designed for gifting or collecting. The value of the precious metal is only part of the overall value because the uncirculated bullion coins have been specially handled during the manufacturing process, encapsulated and protected in card packaging.

If you would like cancel or reschedule a tour of either facility, please call our Customer Solution Centre and our agents will be happy to assist you 1-800-267-1871.

Members receive free delivery for their orders within the U.S. and Canada. The mode of free delivery offered will depend on a number of factors including size and value of the product and the destination, and will be determined by the Royal Canadian Mint in its sole discretion.

This is just one of the many advantages of joining the Masters Club. Learn more about the Masters Club.

Approximate transit times for available items – with Standard Shipping (Canada Post) – are as follows:

• 2-3 days in Greater Toronto and Ottawa area
• 3-5 days in Southwestern Ontario
• 4-9 days in other major Canadian cities
• Up to three weeks for remote areas of Canada
• Ordering items that do NOT have an available status will delay the delivery of that order

* Please keep in mind that seasonal volumes and inclement weather can increase these estimated times.

* Please note that the Royal Canadian Mint may require that you sign a receipt of delivery in person for your order from the shipper. In such cases, if you change or waive this requirement to allow for your order to be dropped off without your receipt signature, you have unilaterally changed the shipping terms and the Royal Canadian Mint is not liable and not responsible to you for any loss, theft or damage to your order at delivery.

To calculate total delivery time, add 2 days processing to the above transit times. Selecting FedEX will reduce the above transit times.

The shipping cost is a flat fee per order, so there is no extra cost to you for backordered items that are shipped separately.

The transaction details available under Order History are from 2019 onwards. To obtain information on orders placed before 2019, please Contact Us.

If you want to view your coin purchase history, including all coins purchased before 2019, go to My Collection under your account details. With the exception of transaction details, you will find your collection there!

Please call us at 1-800-267-1871 (Canada, US & International) from Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 6 pm EST. Click here to request cancellation of a purchase made online at www.mint.ca.

Subject to the exception below: We will do our best to cancel your order before it is shipped. However, depending on what stage of the shipping process your order is in, it is not always possible to cancel your order; no order cancellations will be accepted after product shipment.

Exception: With respect to the purchase of products identified as belonging to one of the following categories – Premium Bullion products in special packaging, Bullion Products Mint product advertised and/or sold with a suggested retail price greater than $20,000 CAD before any applicable taxes, and any other products identified as such by the Mint– once you have placed an order for the purchase of these products, that order is locked-in and cannot be cancelled.

With respect to the purchase of a product through a payment plan (where offered), your first installment payment is non-refundable. While you may cancel your order any time before the final installment payment is made, the first installment payment will not be refunded. Once the final payment installment has been made, the order is locked-in and cannot be cancelled.

The Shopping Cart summarizes all your current online purchases. Each item selected for purchase is itemized by photo, product name, quantity, unit cost and total cost. You can make additions and deletions to your order and view the revised total of your purchase. You can either continue shopping to add more items to your Shopping Cart or complete the purchase transaction by clicking on the Checkout button, once you have chosen your location and shipping method.

You will then be prompted to log in, if you haven’t already done so. Enter your shipping address and payment details, then review your order one more time before submitting it. When your order has been successfully submitted you will receive an onscreen confirmation and a separate confirmation by email.

You can shop by phone, mail or in person, however we are no longer accepting orders via fax.

To shop in person, visit our boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg. Boutique business hours and location details can be found here.

To shop by phone, call: 1-800-267-1871 (Canada and U.S.) or 1-613-954-2626 (International).

The Royal Canadian Mint only deals in current issue products. For previous releases, we suggest you consult an authorized coin dealer.

The Masters Club is a loyalty-based program designed for passionate collectors. It features a flexible points-based rewards system and exclusive member-only benefits.

For more information on the program, visit the Masters Club page.

We have reviewed our U.S. state sales tax obligations and it is necessary that we charge the same U.S. state sales tax that you would pay if you had bought from a local coin dealer in your state.

We must charge U.S. state sales tax for deliveries to the states in which we have registered to collect tax. If you can provide a valid tax exemption/resale certificate for the state of delivery, then we do not have to charge the U.S. state sales tax. Generally, resellers such as coin dealers who are registered with the state of delivery are able to provide these certificates. Individual consumers are not able to provide these certificates and must incur the tax.

Following the implementation of harmonized sales tax (HST) on gold and silver products, regimes in Ontario and British Columbia, who meet the following conditions will be HST exempt:

• Minimum purity must be 99.5% for gold and platinum and 99.9% for silver;
• Products must be in bar, ingot, coin or wafer form; and
• Coins satisfying minimum purity levels must have also been issued by a government authority as legal tender.

For further information, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency’s website.

You can purchase Royal Canadian Mint bullion products from the main branches of many Canadian chartered banks, from authorized Bullion DNA™ Dealers, or from the Royal Canadian Mint’s boutiques at our Ottawa and Winnipeg locations (with the understanding that bullion products are always subject to availability).

If you are a U.S. resident, please check with an authorized distributor in your area. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure that the precious metal dealer chosen to conduct business with is a reputable source.

In order for the Royal Canadian Mint to comply with its obligations including those under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) Terrorist Financing Act, if you are planning on purchasing Royal Canadian Mint bullion product(s) through one of our boutiques, you may be required to provide official Government issued identification and/or any other information deemed appropriate by the Royal Canadian Mint before completing your purchase. Examples of situations when this would occur include for cash purchases and larger value transactions.

Premium Bullion in special packaging can be purchased directly by the public from the Royal Canadian Mint through our boutiques, call centre, app and online store, or from authorized dealers. From the Royal Canadian Mint, these products are final sale and orders for these products cannot be cancelled.  They are also not eligible towards Masters Club program. For more details visit our Return & Cancellation Policy and Masters Club Terms and Conditions.

No. When an item is shown as "Awaiting stock" this means we are currently trying to secure additional inventory. Please continue to visit the page for further updates or call us at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada and the U.S. or 1-613-954-2626 for international customers. If you happen to live in, or are visiting the Ottawa or Winnipeg area, you can stop by the boutiques to see if they have the coin you are looking for in stock.

All of the coins released in the past 12 months can be found on mint.ca whether they are sold out or not. If the coin you are looking for is older than 12 months, then it can be found on the archive tab within the search functionality of mint.ca. Check with a coin dealer in your area for products that are sold out or older than 12 months.

If you have not done so already, call us at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada and the U.S. or 1-613-954-2626 for international customers and request your temporary password. Once you receive it by email, simply log in by clicking on the account icon located at the top right corner of the home page. You will then be asked to change your password. Once this is done, you will be prompted to log in again using your new personal password.

To ensure that American residents always benefit from the most competitive exchange rates, all items in our catalogues are listed in Canadian dollars only. If you are in the U.S. and paying by credit card, your company will automatically convert the payment to U.S. funds at the time of shipment.

​Should you have any questions in regards to payment methods, please call 1-800-267-1871 and one of our customer service representatives will be happy to assist you.

The United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) requires that a US-based Ultimate Consignee or Foreign-based Ultimate Consignee or receiver of the goods provide a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) or Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employer identification number for any order equal to or exceeding CAD$2,500.

In order to comply with US Customs regulations, the Royal Canadian Mint will now require your SSN or IRS number when you place an order that equals or exceeds CAD$2,500 in value. This information will be recorded in the US Customs Service computer system for customs purposes only.

Anyone living outside of Canada and the United States should contact a local coin dealer to purchase Royal Canadian Mint products. See our dealer locator for details.

Also note, that it is the customer’s responsibility to pay any duties or taxes for any goods shipped to an international address. Any shipping charges for packages returned to us as a result of a customer’s failure to pay customs, duties and taxes will be billed to that customer.

Your privacy and security of information are important to us. All personal information is maintained in the strictest confidence in one of the highest security facilities in the country. We also uses industry standard encryption technology and secure data transfer protocols to protect your account information when you place online orders with us. Please refer to our Privacy Notice for more details.

We routinely review our business practices to ensure they comply with all applicable laws and standards.

The tax for most of the numismatic coins was based on the financial instrument rules in the Excise Tax Act. While the GST legislation hasn’t changed, the Canada Revenue Agency and court decisions have narrowed the interpretation of the financial services or instruments section of the Excise Tax Act.

Coins with one or more modifications where the total purity of the finished product – including embellishments and embedded items – means the entire product is less than 99.9% for silver and 99.5% for gold or platinum.

We are obligated to collect all applicable federal and provincial or territorial taxes.

In some provinces, sales tax is charged when the overall purity of a coin (including embellishments, jewels, moving parts, etc.) falls below 99.9% pure for silver and 99.5% pure for gold and platinum. In Manitoba and British Columbia, Provincial Sales Tax is charged when the selling price exceeds the face value of the coin.

The selling price of the coins will not change. However, certain coins will be subject to GST/HST, as well as Provincial Sales Tax in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec, as of September 28, 2020.

We will not apply sales tax to any current subscriptions. New subscriptions for 2021 coins onward will be taxed if the underlying coins don’t meet the purity thresholds.

Applicable sales taxes, in each province and territory, are as follows:

Detailed tax treatment by province and territory is as follows:

• British Columbia, Manitoba: All numismatic coins are already subject to provincial sales tax in British Columbia and Manitoba. As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not subject to GST will also be subject to 5% GST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery and/or sale occurs in British Columbia or Manitoba.
• Alberta: There is no provincial sales tax in Alberta. As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not Subject to GST will be subject to GST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery and/or sale occurs in Alberta. The current GST rate is 5%.
• Saskatchewan: As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not subject to GST or Saskatchewan Provincial Tax will be subject to GST and SK PST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery or sale occurs in Saskatchewan. The current GST rate in Saskatchewan is 5% and the current SK PST rate is 6%.
• Ontario: As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not subject to GST will also be subject to HST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery or sale occurs in Ontario. The current HST rate in Ontario is 13%.
• Quebec: As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not subject to GST will be subject to GST and QST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery and/or sale occurs in Quebec. The current GST rate is 5% and QST rate is 9.975% in Quebec.
• Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador: As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not subject to GST will also be subject to HST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery and/or sale occurs in these provinces. The current HST rate in these provinces is 15%.
• Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory: As of September 28, 2020, coins that are not subject to GST will also be subject to GST when the modifications impact the overall purity of the coin and the delivery and/or sale occurs in these territories. The current GST rate in these territories is 5%.

In most countries with a VAT, numismatic coins have always been taxable regardless of purity. The Royal Canadian Mint is not registered for VAT outside Canada, so we do not collect VAT outside Canada.

In the United States, numismatic coins are subject to sales tax, depending on individual state laws. The Royal Canadian Mint is already registered for sales tax in several U.S. jurisdictions and collects tax in these states, when applicable.

In the United States, numismatic coins are subject to sales tax, depending on individual state laws. The Royal Canadian Mint is already registered for sales tax in several U.S. jurisdictions and collects tax in these states, when applicable.

The new GST/HST tax treatment will apply to foreign numismatic coins that have embellishments where the total purity of the finished product – including embellishment and embedded items – means the entire product is less than 99.9% for silver and 99.5% for gold or platinum.

To find a dealer near you, go to our numismatic dealer or bullion dealer locators.

For more information on how to become an authorized dealer of Royal Canadian Mint products, please call us at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada and the U.S. or 1-613-954-2626 for international customers. One of our customer service representatives will contact you shortly.

The retail price of bullion products is based on the international gold, silver and platinum market prices, which vary daily. A premium is added to these prices to cover manufacturing, transportation and delivery costs.