2023 35th Anniversary SILVER MAPLE LEAF; 5 Ounce Reverse Proof, Ultra-High Relief Silver Coin, NGC PF70, First Day of Issue with Susan Taylor Signature; $50 CAD

Description

Metal                    Silver

Purity                   0.9999 (99.99%)

Weight                 5 Troy Oz (155,5 g)

Diameter              65.2 mm

Attributes            Reverse Proof, Ultra-High Relief, NGC PF70, First Day of Issue, Susan Taylor Signature

Mintage                1750 Total

Packaging            Original Mint Packaging

The world-famous Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) introduced the beautiful Walter Ott-designed Maple Leaf coin in 1979. That popular and iconic design remained unchanged until 2022, when it was re-sculpted in ultra-high relief (UHR) by former RCM Senior Engraver Susan Taylor. Because she had worked closely with Ott during his tenure at the Mint, Taylor was deemed the only person officials at RCM felt had the skill and experience to master this momentous task.

For 2023—in honor of the milestone 35th Anniversary of the first Silver Maple Leaf in 1988—Canada’s Five-Ounce Silver Maple Leaf has taken Taylor’s design to new heights with a unique field pattern of maple leaves. The leaves are placed in rings around the maple along with the figure “35,” and the size of each ring get smaller as it gets close to the coin. Not only is this a stunning effect, but eagle-eyed collectors will notice each ring contains exactly 35 maples. The effect is dazzling as it forms a breathtaking background design to the Maple Leaf on the reverse and the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. This will no doubt be the last time The Queen appears on these coins following her passing on September 8, 2022, and the ascension of her son, Charles III, as king of Great Britain and the British Commonwealth.

Struck in five full ounces of highly pure 99.99% silver, these $50 legal-tender Canadian coins boast incredible ultra-high relief detail that stands 3.0 mm above the surface of the coin, which is ten times higher than standard, giving it the appearance of being three-dimensional. Simply put, these coins are not only miniature works of art but also miniature sculptures. What’s more, they were also struck as reverse proof coins. A reverse proof is the opposite of a regular proof that features frosted details rising over mirror-like fields. Reverse proofs have mirror-like details rising over beautifully frosted fields. It’s an especially breathtaking effect when used in combination with the coin’s dramatic relief.

As a testament to the quality of these coins, each one available here has been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) as being in flawless Proof-70 (PF70) condition, a distinction that means these perfectly-graded proofs have ZERO imperfections—showing all features and fields exactly as the engraver and mint intended. In addition, NGC has certified that these Maple Leaf Proofs are First Day of Issue (FDI) coins, meaning they were received by NGC or an NGC-approved depository by the release date or on the business day within 24 hours of the official release date. And, as a final touch, each has been sonically sealed in a museum-quality acrylic holder and encapsulated with a special label that was personally signed Royal Canadian Mint sculptor-engraver Susan Taylor.