The Montreal Canadiens were founded in 1909, making 2009 their centennial year — and a natural occasion for the Royal Canadian Mint to issue a commemorative dollar in a series that had already become a reliable revenue stream for the mint through collector demand rather than circulation need. The Canadiens are the oldest professional hockey club in the world still operating, a detail that distinguishes this issue from the broader run of sports commemoratives.
The Montreal Canadiens were founded in 1909, making 2009 their centennial year — and a natural occasion for the Royal Canadian Mint to issue a commemorative dollar in a series that had already become a reliable revenue stream for the mint through collector demand rather than circulation need. The Canadiens are the oldest professional hockey club in the world still operating, a detail that distinguishes this issue from the broader run of sports commemoratives.