On November 11, 1918 the guns finally fell silent as the Armistice agreement finally brought an end to the First World war. This six coin set honours the legacy of the combatants whose contributions we collectively acknowledge especially Remembrance Day, and who have paved the way for the rights and freedoms we enjoy today. The presentation includes a numismatic uncirculated example of all the circulation denominations 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, and $1, plus two different examples of the new commemorative Armistice $2 coin. One of the $2 coin will be a classic strike while the second is enhanced with a red coloured poppy.
The Design:
The commemorative $2 coin design by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw presents a poignant pairing of two symbols of remembrance. Within the brass-plated inner core, a soldier’s helmet represents the end of the First World War and serves as a solemn reminder of the many lives lost during history’s first mechanized war. Below the helmet lies a large poppy, the official bloom of remembrance inspired by the Canadian poem In Flanders Fields, and whose bright scarlet colour is re-created on selectively coloured versions of the $2 coin. To represent English and French, two more poppies are engraved on the nickel-plated outer ring, which includes a banner bearing the bilingual words “REMEMBER”, “SOUVENIR” and the year “2018”. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.