10 Dollars - Elizabeth II Year of the Dragon

The Royal Canadian Mint launched its Lunar Lotus series in 2012 to compete directly with the Perth Mint's long-dominant Chinese lunar program, targeting the substantial Chinese-Canadian collector market concentrated in Vancouver and Toronto. Canada's version leaned into the .9999 fineness standard — four nines rather than the Perth's three — as its primary market differentiator.

The 2012 Dragon year gave the series an unusually strong debut; the Dragon is the most prestigious of the twelve zodiac animals among Chinese buyers, and first-year mintage sold through faster than any subsequent issue in the run.