With the creation of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on April 1, 1924, Canada gained its first permanent full-time air force, and its early fleet helped develop aviation in Canada. Its formative years and the vital role it played in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War, are represented by the De Havilland DH-82C Tiger Moth depicted on this 99.99% pure gold coin. On the coin’s reverse, the early trainer’s take-off represents the ascent of Canada’s Air Force, while the current motto Sic Itur ad Astra (“Such is the pathway to the stars”) visually connects the RCAF of today with both its future and its storied past.

The reverse design by artist Neil Hamelin features the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) roundel in the background, with a proud maple leaf at its centre. The RCAF’s early years are represented by the De Havilland DH-82C Tiger Moth, which was adopted by the RCAF in 1938 and was the last of the Moth trainers the RCAF and civil aviation used in Canada. The Tiger Moth served as one of the basic trainers in Canadian Elementary Flying Training Schools under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War, when the RCAF developed into the fourth largest Allied air force. Beneath the runway view, the soaring spirit of the RCAF is reflected in the current inspirational motto “Sic Itur ad Astra” (“Such is the pathway to the stars” in Latin), which is inscribed on a banner accompanied by stylized maple leaves, similar to the current RCAF badge. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.