2019 Proof Silver Dollar - The 75th Anniversary of D-Day
Specifications
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No. 170515
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Mintage 20,000
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Composition 99.99% pure silver
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Finish proof
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Weight (g) 23.17
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Diameter (mm) 36.07
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Edge serrated
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Certificate serialized
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Face value 1 dollar
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Artist Tony Bianco (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)
Packaging:
Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with a black beauty box.
They came by sea. Their target: Juno Beach.
On June 6, 1944, about 14,000 Canadians stormed the beaches of Normandy as the Allies launched Operation Overlord. D-Day was the largest amphibious landing in history and the stakes were high: to gain a foothold in Fortress Europe, Allied troops had to break through a coastline fortified with mined obstacles, concrete pillboxes, machine-gun nests and heavy artillery batteries.
“They had trained for months, knowing that 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade would be assault troops on D-Day. But for the vast majority, this was their first battle ever, the first time they experienced enemy fire. And one can only imagine with difficulty the fear—and the hope—they felt as their landing craft approached the far shore.”
Dr. Stephen Harris, CD, PhD, Directorate of History and Heritage, Canadian Armed Forces
Your 2019 Proof Silver Dollar commemorates the 75th anniversary of D-Day by putting a human face on a historic event. Inspired by a real-life moment seen in the original film footage, a young soldier’s apprehension and a simple gesture remind us of the courage of those who carried the weight of history with them that day. In the face of danger and uncertainty, Canadians fought to come ashore at Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Bernières-sur-Mer, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Graye-sur-Mer, knowing that success on D-Day was just the beginning.
Commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day with the 2019 Proof Silver Dollar.
Design:
Designed by Tony Bianco, your coin steps back in time to the morning of June 6, 1944, as the first wave of Canadian troops storms Juno Beach. The scene shares the same inspiration as the Juno Beach Centre Association’s D-Day anniversary logo; it re-creates a moment caught on film when the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment landed on Nan Red Beach (La Rive Plage). In the foreground, an infantry soldier has a strained expression on his face after surveying what lies ahead—this is his first real combat experience. A reassuring pat is a touching moment of humanity and a gesture of solidarity amid enemy fire and fear, while the wedding ring is a reminder of loved ones back home. In the sky above, a sequence of dots and dashes represent the letter V (for “Victory”) in Morse code; they allude to the radio broadcasts that announced the Allied landings that day. The reverse includes the word “CANADA”, the double dates “1944” and “2019”, and the face value “DOLLAR”. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
