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50 Dollars - Elizabeth II 3rd Portrait, GML Bullion Coinage
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1990-2003 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A highly detailed, naturalistic sugar maple leaf (Acer saccharum) occupies the central field, rendered in high relief with finely engraved veining throughout the blade and lobes. The legend CANADA arcs along the upper periphery, while the purity designations 9999 appear to the left and right of the leaf stalk in the mid-field. The curved lower legend reads FINE GOLD / 1 OZ OR PUR, confirming the coin's bullion weight and gold fineness in both English and French. |
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| Additional information |
The Royal Canadian Mint introduced the Maple Leaf series in 1979 specifically to challenge the Krugerrand's dominance in the global bullion market — at the time, South Africa held a near-monopoly on investor-grade gold coins. Canada's decision to strike at .9999 fineness rather than the Krugerrand's .9167 gave buyers a measurable purity advantage and helped establish a new benchmark that competitors including the American Eagle and Australian Nugget would later adopt. By the mid-1980s, the Maple Leaf had become the world's best-selling gold bullion coin.
The third portrait, by effigy sculptor Dora de Pédery-Hunt, was adopted in 1990 and remained current through 2003.