DID YOU KNOW?

The First World War is often cited as Canada's coming of age. Canada entered the First World War in 1914 with an army of just 3,110 men; its navy, which was only founded in 1910, consisted of two old cruisers and 350 sailors. But by the end of the war, more than 650,000 men and women from Canada and Newfoundland (then a separate colony) had answered the call of duty, but at the cost of 66,000 lives. For a nation of just eight million, this was a significant contribution, and Canada emerged with a new-found standing on the world stage and a growing sense of national identity.

By the end of the Second World War, Canada had become a leading member of the international community and had one of the largest navies in the world. More than a million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in the war, with 45,000 killed and another 55,000 wounded.

HMCS Saguenay (depicted on this coin) was deployed at the start of the Second World War.  This River-class destroyer was built in Hampshire, United Kingdom; the ship was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy at Portsmouth (U.K.) on May 22, 1931, and arrived in Halifax on July 3, 1931. The Saguenay was assigned to convoy duties throughout the Battle of the Atlantic; this was the longest battle of the Second World War, and Canada played a major role in this campaign.

Art deco was popular in the inter-war years. The successor to art nouveau, art deco is easily recognized by the art style's strong geometric character. Its popularity peaked in the 1920s and '30s, but it continues to influence the artists and architects of today.