Silver Maple Leafs

Silver Maple Leafs at BGASC

The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) is one of the most well-known mints in the world. They originated as a branch of the Royal Mint in Britain; however, it wasn’t until 1931 that the mint was turned over to the Canadian government. While they produce many popular and unique coin programs, by far their most popular is the Silver Maple Leaf. Learn more about the official silver bullion coin of Canada, right here at BGASC.

Background of the Silver Maple Leafs

The Maple Leaf coin program started with the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf in 1979. It was the world’s second bullion coin after the South African Gold Krugerrand. However, the RCM didn’t start striking silver coins in the series until 1988.

When the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf debuted, it had a purity of .9999 silver, which made it the world’s first silver bullion coin to reach that level of purity. These coins have been issued annually ever since. Coins contain 1 Troy oz of silver and have a face value of $5 (CAD). While the gold versions contain multiple different weights, the Silver Maple Leaf is available in just the 1 oz weight, in terms of the BU releases.

Packaging of the Silver Maple Leafs

The US Mint offers American Silver Eagles in three packaging options. Individuals are made available in protective plastic flips, while sealed tubes of 20, and Monster Boxes of 500 are also available.

The RCM also offers these Canadian Silver Maple Leafs in three distinct packaging options. Individuals are protected during transit in plastic flips. The RCM also offers sealed tubes of 25 coins. Monster Boxes of these coins are available in counts of 500, which consists of 20 tubes, each holding 25 coins.

Design of Canadian Silver Maple Leafs

The reverse of the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf has remained the same since 1988. Walter Ott’s sugar maple leaf is featured front and center on the reverse. Over the years, the RCM has implemented security features on the reverse, such as radial lines and a micro-engraved maple leaf to the bottom right of the sugar maple leaf.

The obverse of these coins features the effigy of the reigning British monarch. Over the years, this has included multiple different designs over the years, including the following:

• Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 39, designed by Arnold Machin (1988-1989)
• Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 64, designed by Dora de Pédery-Hunt (1990-2003)
• Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 79, designed by Susanna Blunt (2004-2023)
• King Charles III, designed by Steven Rosati.

Unique Variations of the Silver Maple Leaf

• Bigger Sizes: The 1 oz size is the standard size in the series, however, as of recently the RCM has issued some bigger sizes. In 2019, a 10 oz coin was released, while in 2023 a 1 kilo coin was issued.
• Colorized Coins: Each year the RCM also releases these coins with a colorized lacquer. The color is applied to the sugar maple leaf on the reverse.
• Gilded Coins: Similar to the colorized coins, gilded Maple Leafs have a thin layer of 24-karat gold applied to just the sugar maple leaf.
• Privy Coins: The most popular and unique variation of these coins is the set of privy releases. The RCM will release Canadian Maple Leafs that feature unique privy marks celebrating holidays, special occasions, and more.

Purchasing Silver Maple Leafs at BGASC

Contact the BGASC customer service team today at 888-992-4272 with any questions you may have about these Silver Maple Leafs or any other Canadian Silver Coins. Our team can also be of assistance via email or through our online chat feature.