$20 Fine Silver Coin - Coal Mining Trade (2009)
Fuel for Fire
In Canada, it was the late 1600's when the reserves of coal
along the east coast first came to light. Visible in the
outcroppings of cliffs along the shoreline, the valuable fuel
source was easy pickings for the French military and early
settlers.
Authorities soon realized a potential source of wealth lay in
the ground beneath them and opened the first commercial
coal mine in 1720 in Port Morien (Cow Bay) in Cape Breton
(Nova Scotia). Four years later, coal was shipped to Boston;
the first recorded mineral export from Canada. By 1873,
there were eight coal companies operating in the region.
Theirs were some of the most extensive mining operations in
the world.
Coal was the economic fuel of many communities—the
prosperity of town and mine linked directly to each other as
company stores and housing quickly disappeared when the
coal ran out. From east to west, scenarios like this played out
wherever coal was being harvested from the ground.
Although production in Ontario and Quebec was limited, it
was Nova Scotian coal that fuelled their industrial
development for almost a century.
Special features:
• Second issue in the Historical Commerce Collection of fine silver coins.
• Silver rendition of the engraved Gold Design.
• Handcrafted artistry and cutting-edge craftsmanship ensure ultra-crisp definition and relief.
• A remarkable tribute to a founding industry that has shaped countless communities
across North America.
Specifications
- No.103729
- Mintage 10,000
- Composition99.99% pure silver
- Finishproof
- Weight (g) 31.39
- Diameter (mm) 38
- Edgeserrated
- Certificateserialized
- Face value20 dollars
- ArtistJohn Mardon (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)
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