3 Dollar 2017 - The Battle of Vimy Ridge


Added by Bruce Weese
In personal collections 4
General Description 100th Anniversary of The Battle at Vimy Ridge
In April 1917, all four divisions of the Canadian Corps were ordered to capture the heavily fortified Vimy Ridge in northern France. This was the first engagement in which Canada's soldiers from coast-to-coast would fight side-by-side as one using innovative tactics. Those forces secured a hard-fought victory that earned them a reputation as a formidable opponent on the western front, while inspiring a nation's sense of pride and unity. This was one of Canada's finest hours during the First World War—but it came at a cost of nearly 11,000 casualties.

Since 1936, an impressive national memorial has marked the site as a tribute to the Canadian soldiers who fought for the cause of peace and freedom during the First World War. The Royal Canadian Mint proudly commemorates the Canadians who served at Vimy Ridge—and throughout the First World War—with a powerful pure silver coin that showcases a poignant symbol of a nation's sacrifice, even in triumph.
Obv. Description The Design by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw, this coin features a frontal view of the iconic sculpture "Canada Bereft," which is prominently featured at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France. An allegorical figure, she is Mother Canada—the powerful personification of a nation mourning her fallen sons. Mother Canada rests her chin on her hand and bears a sorrowful expression that is beautifully re-created with finely detailed engraving. On the reverse, the engraved figure is front and centre as the main focus of the design; on the memorial, the limestone carving stands on the northeast edge of the monument platform, where she looks down at a ground-level tomb. The Vimy Memorial is recreated behind and to the left of the grieving sculpture; set against the lined specimen background, the Vimy Memorial is depicted further in the distance to provide a full sense of the stately grandeur of this Canadian site of remembrance overseas. To the right of Mother Canada are the large letters "VIMY".
Rev. Description The obverse features the right facing effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. with the letters "Elizabeth II" behind her and "D.G.Regina" in front of her.
Diameter 27.00 mm
Weight 7.9600 g
Material Silver 0.9999
Orientation Coin
Mint Canada - Royal Canadian Mint
Edge Type reeded
Catalog prices No catalog prices set yet

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