As Canada prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation in 2017, the Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the nation's primary architect and first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, with this striking proof-quality 14kt gold coin. Mintage is limited to 1,500 coins.

The Design:

The reverse design by Canadian artist Glen Green pays tribute to Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister and a Father of Confederation. His reputation as a nation builder is symbolized by the modern-day map of Canada, which stretches from one side of the image field to the other and overlaps beyond the image rim. As one of Macdonald's achievements, the completion of the Canadian Pacific railway is represented here by the steam locomotive no. 374 - the first transcontinental passenger train to arrive in Vancouver in 1887. A side profile of Sir John A. Macdonald is portrayed on the right side of the image field, overlapping the rim, while the commemorative dates "1815-2015" signal the bicentennial of his birth. This coin is struck in the Mint's highest-quality proof finish with frosted raised elements on mirror background into 12 grams (over a third of an ounce) of 14kt yellow gold. It has a diameter of 27mm, and text on the reverse that reads "CANADA", "100 DOLLARS", and the years "1815 - 2015".

This beautiful gold coin pays a fitting tribute to one of the most important figures in Canadian history, and would make a thoughtful gift or introduction to collecting for those who enjoy Canadian history and heritage, patriotic coins, or portraiture.