At 11 a.m. on the morning of November 11, 1918, the battlefields suddenly fell silent after four calamitous years that changed Canada forever. This fine silver coin concludes our First World War: Battlefront series; its reverse features a final, powerful tribute to the Canadian and Newfoundlander combatants of the Great War: the winged figure from the 1919 Victory Medal, which has followed us on every step of this collectible journey through a war that shaped the 20th century.
The reverse commemorates the centennial of the armistice signed near Compiègne, France, on November 11, 1918 — an agreement that ended the fighting across the Western Front. The image is a gold-plated reproduction of the winged figure of Victory by sculptor William McMillan (1887-1977), whose design graced the obverse of the Victory Medal issued within the British Empire in 1919. The full-length view of this classic-styled allegory finds Victory standing with her left arm raised, her right hand holding a palm branch; behind her, engraved rays that represent hope for a peaceful future fill the field and heighten the luminous nature of the sculpted design. The reverse includes the words “CANADA” engraved above the figure, along with the double dates “1918 – 2018” that mark the centennial, and the bilingual “title” of this final chapter in the story of Canada on the battlefields of the First World War.
Previous coins in this eight-coin series all featured the winged figure from the 1919 Victory Medal as a design flourish; here, its gold-plated, sculpted beauty highlights the legacy of those who bravely served in a war that transformed Canada and shaped the 20th century.
Diameter: 38 mm
Material: Silver
Fineness: 0.9999
Weight: 31.39 g
Bullion Weight: 1.008 Troy Ounces
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse: Gold-Plated Winged Figure of Victory
Artist: William McMillan
Finish: Proof
Series: First World War Battlefront Series
Quantity Produced: 10000
Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
Theme(s): Canadian,Royal Canadian Mint,International Commemoratives
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