Canadian Gold Maple Leaf facts for kids
| Canada | |
| Value | 50.00 CAD (face value) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 31.11 g (1.00 troy oz) |
| Diameter | 30.00 mm (1.1811 in) |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Composition | Gold (99.99% Au) |
| Years of minting | 1979–present |
| Obverse | |
| Design | Elizabeth II |
| Reverse | |
| Design | Maple Leaf |
| Design date | 1979 (2015) |
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf (often called GML) is a special gold coin made each year by the Government of Canada. It is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.
This coin is considered legal tender, which means it's officially recognized as money. It has a face value of 50 Canadian dollars. However, the actual value of the gold inside changes daily. This depends on the current price of gold in the market.
The Gold Maple Leaf is known for being incredibly pure. It is usually 99.99% pure gold, and sometimes even 99.999% pure! This makes it one of the purest official gold coins in the world. The most common coin weighs at least 1 troy ounce (about 31.10 grams). But there are also smaller sizes, like 1 gram, 1⁄25 oz. ($0.50), 1⁄20 oz. ($1), 1⁄10 oz. ($5), 1⁄4 oz. ($10), and 1⁄2 oz. ($20).
On one side, the coin shows a picture of Queen Elizabeth II of Canada. On the other side, it features the famous Canadian Maple Leaf. To make the coins even safer from fakes, new security features were added in 2013 and 2015. In 2013, a tiny, textured maple leaf was laser-engraved onto the coin. Inside this tiny leaf, you can see the coin's year of issue with a magnifying glass. In 2015, tiny lines were added to the background on both sides of the coin.
In 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint showed off a huge Gold Maple Leaf coin. It had a face value of $1 million, but its gold was worth over $3.5 million! This giant coin is 50 cm wide and 3 cm thick. It weighs a massive 100 kg and is 99.999% pure gold. Sadly, one of these six giant coins was stolen from a museum in Berlin in 2017. It has not been found and is believed to have been melted down for its gold.
Contents
History of the Gold Maple Leaf
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin was first made in 1979. At that time, there were not many other gold coins available. One main competitor was the Krugerrand from South Africa. But it was hard to get because many countries were boycotting South Africa due to its apartheid policies.
Coins made between 1979 and 1982 were 99.9% pure gold. After November 1982, the purity was increased to 99.99%.
How the Coin Changed Over Time
The Gold Maple Leaf coin has changed slightly over the years, especially the picture of Queen Elizabeth II.
| Years | Denominations | Purity | Obverse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979–1982 | 1 oz. | .999 | 39-year-old Queen |
| November 1982 – 1985 | 1 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz. | .9999 | |
| 1986–1989 | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz. | .9999 | |
| 1990–1992 | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz. | .9999 | 64-year-old Queen |
| 1993 | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz., 1⁄20 oz. | .9999 | |
| 1994 | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz., 1⁄15 oz., 1⁄20 oz. | .9999 | |
| 1995–2004 | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz., 1⁄20 oz. | .9999 | |
| 2005–2013 | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz., 1⁄20 oz. | .9999 | 79-year-old Queen |
| 2014–present | 1 oz., 1⁄2 oz., 1⁄4 oz., 1⁄10 oz., 1⁄20 oz., 1 gram. | .9999 |
Special Gold Maple Leaf Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint sometimes makes very special versions of the Gold Maple Leaf. These coins often have unique designs or even higher purity.
Super Pure Gold Coins (99.999%)
While most Gold Maple Leafs are 99.99% pure, some special editions are made with an even higher purity of 99.999% gold. These are called "Five Nines" pure.
| Year | Theme | Artist | Mintage | Issue Price | Special Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Fifty Dollar Coin | N/A | at first 600
left 396 |
N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold - experimental issue | ||
| 2007 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Stanley Witten | 500 | $1,899.95 | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold, a special test coin for collectors | ||
| 2007 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Stanley Witten | 30,848 | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold, comes in a special card | ||
| 2007 | One Million Dollar Coin | Stanley Witten | 6 | N/A | This huge coin weighs 100 kg (3215 troy ounces). One was stolen from Berlin's Bode Museum in 2017. |  |
|
| 2008 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | 1,700 | $1,394.64 | Special Limited Edition First Strike | |||
| 2008 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | 27,476 | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold, comes in a special card | |||
| 2009 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Stanley Witten | 13,765 | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 oz pure gold, comes in a special card | ||
| 2011 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Ago Aarand | 8,408 | N/A | Canadian Mountie Maple Leaf; 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, comes in a special card | ||
| 2012 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Stanley Witten | N/A | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, maple leaf design moved slightly, comes in a special card | ||
| 2012 | Five Hundred Dollar Coin | 5 ounce 9999 gold maple leaf forever, only 200 made | |||||
| 2014 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Pierre Leduc | N/A | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, Gold Howling Wolf design, comes in a special card | ||
| 2014 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Pierre Leduc | 2000 | CAD2799,95 | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, Gold Howling Wolf, a special proof version in a display case | ||
| 2015 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Pierre Leduc | N/A | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, Gold Growling Cougar design, comes in a special card | ||
| 2015 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Pierre Leduc | 250 | CAD2799,95 | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, Gold Growling Cougar, a special proof version in a display case | ||
| 2016 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Pierre Leduc | N/A | N/A | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, Gold Roaring Grizzly, last in a series, comes in a special card | ||
| 2016 | Two Hundred Dollar Coin | Pierre Leduc | 250 | CAD2799,95 | 1 troy ounce coin; .99999 pure gold, Gold Roaring Grizzly, a special proof version in a display case | ||
Coloured Gold Maple Leaf Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint has also made Gold Maple Leaf coins with colour! These were some of the first coloured coins they ever produced.
| Year | Theme | Artist | Mintage | Issue Price | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 20th Anniversary of the GML - fractional 5 coins | Walter Ott, RCM Engravers | 13,025 | N/A | These were the first coloured coins made by the Royal Canadian Mint. |
| 2010 | Gold Maple Leaf Vancouver Olympics 3 x 31.15 g (1 oz) | Susanna Blunt | 200 | N/A | These are 3 coins from the Olympic series, with red painted maple leaves on the back. They come in a wooden box. |
Hologram Gold Maple Leaf Coins
Some Gold Maple Leaf coins have cool holograms on them, making them even more unique!
| Year | Theme | Artist | Mintage | Issue Price | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 GML Hologram Set | Walter Ott, RCM Engravers | 500 | $1,995.00 | These were the first coins from the Royal Canadian Mint to feature a hologram. |
| 2001 | $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 GML Hologram Set | Walter Ott, RCM Engravers | 600 | $1,995.00 | The only difference from the 1999 set was the year 2001 on the coin. |
| 2001 | $10 GML Hologram | Walter Ott, RCM Engravers | 14,614 | $195.00 | This was a 1⁄4-oz coin. |
| 2009 | $1, $5, $10, $50 Hologram Set, 30th Anniversary of Gold Maple Leaf | N/A | 750 | N/A | This set included 1⁄20 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄4 oz, and 1 oz coins, all in a wooden box. |
Olympic Gold Maple Leaf Coins
The Royal Canadian Mint also made special Gold Maple Leaf coins to celebrate the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Other Special Gold Maple Leaf Coins
Here are some other unique Gold Maple Leaf coins that have been released over the years.
| Year | Theme | Artist | Mintage | Issue price | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 10th Anniversary Coin | Walter Ott | 6,817 | Bullion Value | This was a special proof version, sometimes sold with other smaller coins. |
| 1997 | 125th Anniversary of the RCMP | Ago Aarand | 12,913 | US$310.00 | This coin had a guaranteed value until 2000. |
| 1999 | 20th Anniversary Coin | N/A | N/A | Bullion Value | It had a special mark "20 years ans" on the back. |
| 2004 | 25th Anniversary of Gold Maple Leaf | Walter Ott | 10,000 | Bullion Value | This coin was first shown at a big coin fair in Pittsburgh. |
| 2014 | Bullion Replica | N/A | 2000 | CAD2699,95 | A special collector's version of the Maple Leaf, in a display case with a certificate. |
| 2015 | 1/10 oz Gold Maple Theory of Relativity Privy | N/A | N/A | N/A | This 1/10 oz coin had a special mark "E=mc2" on it. |
| 2015 | Allied Gold/L'or des alliés | Joel Kimmel | 1,500 | $649.95 | A ¼ oz. coin about the Flight of the Norwegian National Treasury during World War II. It shows a Canadian maple leaf combined with a Norwegian maple leaf. |
Coins with Special Marks (Privy Marks)
Some Gold Maple Leaf coins have tiny, extra designs called "privy marks." These marks often celebrate an event or are made for a specific group.
| Year | Privy Mark | Denomination | Size | Mintage | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Family | Five Dollars | 1⁄10 oz | 100,730 | Made for a company called Dillon Gage. |
| 1998 | Eagles | Five Dollars | 1⁄10-oz | 51,440 | Also made for Dillon Gage. |
| 2000 | Expo Hanover | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4-oz | 1,000 | N/A |
| 2001 | Basle Coin Fair | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4-oz | 750 | N/A |
| 2001 | Viking | 50, 20, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄2-oz, 1⁄4-oz, 1⁄10-oz, 1⁄20-oz | 850 | Sold as a set of five coins. |
| 2005 | Liberation | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4 oz | 500 | Made for the Royal Dutch Mint. |
Maple Leaf Privy M7 Coins
These coins have a special "M7" privy mark and often unique background designs.
| Year | Denomination | Size | Mintage | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4-oz | 10 | These were test coins, mostly given out in Europe. |
| 2005 | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4-oz | 600 (or 1300?) | The back of the coin had a "bricks" pattern instead of the usual lines. |
| 2006 | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4-oz | 1093 (or 1100?) | The back of the coin had two different textures: lines on the top half and frosted on the bottom half. |
| 2007 | Ten Dollars | 1⁄4-oz | 1000 | The back of the coin had a frosted top half and curved "sun rays" on the bottom. |
Other Fractional Gold Maple Leaf Sets
The Mint also releases sets of Gold Maple Leaf coins in different sizes, often with special themes.
| Year | Description | Denomination | Size | Mintage | Issue Price | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Maple Leaf variations - standard leaf | 50, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄4 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄20 oz | 750 | CAD3739,95 | A four-coin set in a wooden box, celebrating 100 years of refining. All coins had "1911-2011" dates. |
| 2012 | Maple Leaf variations - three leaves | 50, 20, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄2 oz, 1⁄4 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄20 oz | 750 | CAD3999,95 | A five-coin set in a wooden box, celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the Million Dollar Coin. |
| 2013 | Maple Leaf variations - two leaves | 50, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄4 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄20 oz | 600 | CAD3899,95 | A four-coin set in a wooden box, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of fractional sets. |
| 2014 | Maple Leaf variations - three leaves | 50, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄4 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄20 oz | 600 | CAD3999,95 | A four-coin set in a wooden box. |
| 2015 | Maple Leaf variations - one leaf | 50, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄4 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄20 oz | 600 | CAD3999,95 | A four-coin set in a wooden box, each 1 oz coin was numbered, and each coin had a different maple leaf design. |
| 2016 | Maple Leaf variations - one leaf with crown and letters | 50, 10, 5, 1 | 1 oz, 1⁄4 oz, 1⁄10 oz, 1⁄20 oz | 600 | CAD3999,95 | A four-coin set in a wooden box, each 1 oz coin was numbered, and the Queen on the front had a crown. |
See also
- American Buffalo (coin)
- American Gold Eagle
- Britannia (coin)
- Bullion
- Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
- Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf
- Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf
- Gold as an investment
