Canadian Gold Maple Leaf

Overview

The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin is an important part of Canadian history, and a coin heavily sought out by investors and collectors alike. These gold coins have a gold purity level of .9999, and are one of the purist gold coins in existence. In addition to their purity, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins are known for their refinement and beauty. They are still considered legal tender in Canada. A variety of 1 oz. Canadian gold Maple Leaf coins exist, as well as other high end 1 oz. gold coins, and a 25 gram Gold Maplegram coin collection, all produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

Canadian Gold Maple Leaf and Other Canadian Gold Coins

Mint History 

The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin was first introduced to the world in 1979. Walter Ott, who was Chief Engraver at the Canadian Mint in the late 1970s, created the coin. His goal was to develop a pure gold coin as an alternative to the South African Krugerrand, which was a popular gold coin at the time known for its purity. The coin is the official gold bullion coin of Canada and is produced by the Canadian Mint. Soon after its inception, the coins began to outsell the Krugerrand, a measure of success for the Royal Canadian Mint. Since its origin, the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf has set the standard for quality used to measure all other bullion coins.

1 oz. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf

The 2015 1 oz. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf gold bullion coin was masterfully crafted and minted with 1 ounce of pure 24 karat gold. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is Canada's official gold bullion, suitable for all investment purposes. The design was created by Arnold Machin, and has changed very little since 1979. Queen Elizabeth II appears on the front (obverse) side of the coin, symbolizing the different stages of maturity over a period of time. The back side (reverse) contains an image of a single Canadian Maple Leaf, symbolizing the nation of Canada, and giving the coin its name. Canada’s national flag bears the same Maple Leaf as the country’s primary symbol. The flag was introduced in 1965 after a lengthy process, and still flies proudly atop the Canadian parliament today (2014).

The design of the coin is struck with tremendous detail. All denominations of the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins are identical, except for the weight and face value of the different denominations of the various coins that appear on the coin’s face. The reverse side also displays the country of origin (“CANADA”), the fineness (“9999”), as well as the purity level in both English and French. The coin strike is reflective.

1 oz. 2014 Gold Howling Wolf

The Royal Canadian Mint launched a gold coin series in 2014 called the “Call of the Wild” series. The 1 oz. 2014 Gold Howling Wolf is the first coin produced in that series. Like the 1 oz. Canadian gold Maple Leaf, the Howling Wolf coin has a very high gold purity level, this time of .99999 (99.999% pure gold)! The obverse (front) side shows the famous portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Susanna Blunt. The reverse (back) side features the coin’s namesake design of a wolf’s head, howling, with lines in the background symbolizing the audible howl of the animal. The coin’s face value is $200 CAD. The coin celebrates the Grey Wolves, as Canada is home to about 30% of the world’s total population of these animals, which were once hunted to near extinction before population numbers increased again.

1 oz. 2015 Gold Growling Cougar

The 1 oz. 2015 Gold Growling Cougar gold coin is the second in the Royal Canadian Mint’s “Call of the Wild” series. The 1 oz. 2014 Growling Gold Cougar is also a .99999 pure gold coin with a face value of $200 CAD. It shares the same obverse design as the Howling Wolf coin, but the reverse side features a howling cougar, again with lines shown to represent the animal’s howl. Long ears, sharp whiskers, and thick fur are all beautiful details in the design. Canadian cougars are one of the nation’s most fearsome predators in the animal kingdom.

1 oz. Scruffy Canadian Gold Maple Leaf

Scruffy Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins are the same 1 oz. coins produced by the royal Canadian Mint, but have likely been in circulation or use, or have other wear that disqualifies them from being classified as Mint condition coins. Scruffy coins typically have visible surface abrasions. Different scruffy Canadian Maple Leaf coins from different years are available. Their gold content remains the same as the “regular” coins.

25 Gram Canadian Gold Maplegram

The 25 gram Canadian Gold Maplegram is a collection of 25 1-gram Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins that come packaged together in a beautiful set. Because there are 25 coins, the total amount of gold in this product is 25 grams. Each 1-gram coin contains .9999 (99.99%) pure gold, same as regular 1 oz. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins, with a face value of $0.50 CAD each.

Purity

Each Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin is known for its purity. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins are produced using only gold mined in Canada. They contain virtually no alloy metals, and are as close to pure gold as nearly any other coin in history. One primary goal of the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin was to create an alternative option to the Krugerrand, which was also known for its purity as a 22 karat coin. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf surpassed the Krugerrand with a 24 karat gold measure. The Royal Canadian Mint has insisted on flawless planchets (the pure gold blanks from which the coins are struck) since the creation of the coin in 1979, furthering its reputation as the “gold standard” for gold coin purity.

Value

The 1 oz. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin’s monetary value differs depending on its year and condition, as well as the current market price for gold. The face value is $50 CAD for a 1 oz. Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin, though the coin itself is sold and valued much higher. The coin’s actual value can vary widely based on the current price of gold and the details of the specific coin. Other sizes and denominations of the various Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins, and other Canadian gold coins, are affected by the same factors. In general, the lower the gold content and face value of the coin, the lower the price and actual value is.