It was a made-in-Canada marvel that was ahead of its time. Designed to fly higher and faster than any other aircraft in the 1950s, the Avro CF-105 Arrow put Canada on the cutting edge of aviation technology. Despite the project’s cancellation in 1959, the Arrow’s legacy endures. And on this 5 oz. fine silver coin, we imagine the supersonic fighter jet taking to the skies once more, while on the ground, its shadow represents those who took Canada’s spirit of innovation to new heights.

Designed by Canadian artist Neil Hamelin, your coin’s reverse is an artistic tribute to Canada’s most famous aircraft, the Avro CF-105 Arrow. The gold-plated supersonic interceptor jet appears to be too fast and too powerful to be contained on the reverse, where a unique perspective emphasizes its sleek profile. On the runway, the maple leaf-shaped shadow pays homage to the innovators who designed and built the iconic Arrow, which was, and remains, the pride of Canada. The obverse features a maple leaf pattern and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Flying high
In 1953, A.V. Roe Canada Ltd. was commissioned to develop a supersonic interceptor that would bolster North America’s air defences during the Cold War. Production began at the company’s facilities in the town of Malton, Ontario, and on October 4, 1957, the first Arrow, RL-201, was unveiled to great fanfare. After a successful first flight on March 25, 1958, four more prototypes were completed, plus one Arrow Mk. 2. The twin-engine, delta-winged Arrow was hailed as a technological triumph; it was the first production aircraft to adopt a fly-by-wire flight control system, while the newly developed Iroquois PS-13 turbojet engine would have allowed it to fly at a speed exceeding Mach 2 — twice the speed of sound. But the program was cancelled on February 20, 1959. All prototypes, models, plans and equipment were ordered destroyed, though some surviving pieces can be found in Canadian museums.