Royal Canadian Mint
In operation since 1908, the Royal Canadian Mint has three locations across Canada. Headquartered in Ottawa, additional branches can be found in Winnipeg and Vancouver. The Royal Canadian Mint is responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins as well as for producing collector coins honouring national achievements. The Mint also manufactures circulation coins on behalf of other nations. Over the years, the Royal Canadian Mint has produced coins for more than 60 countries worldwide.
Although permission to create a Canadian branch of the Royal Mint was granted in 1901, it was not until 1908 that the Ottawa Branch opened on Sussex Drive.
At the Royal Canadian Mint's official opening, Canada's first domestically produced coins were struck in front of a group of financial and political leaders.
The first gold coins struck by the Mint in 1912 were Canadian in every form, from raw material to design. They also featured the first symbol of Canada to appear on a gold coin.
The Royal Canadian Mint opened its first gold refinery, used to produce gold bars for Britain, in 1911. In 1936, a new refinery was built, which remains operational today.
Significant achievements include becoming the world’s first refinery to produce 9,999 fine gold bullion coins in 1982 and being the first to achieve 99,999% fine gold purity in 1999. As partners and proud supporters of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Royal Canadian Mint launched a three-year programme of circulation and collector coins.
