COIN DETAILS:
July 1, 2017 marked the 90th Anniversary of Canada's iconic Peace Tower Clock located on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. Each of the remarkable 65.25mm diameter proofs is adorned with two replica clock gears crafted from genuine, naturally weathered copper, which was originally part of the roofing of the Parliament Hill buildings and both gears have the same number of teeth as their real-life counterparts. To preserve its historical value, the copper has not been melted down thereby any color variations or markings occurred naturally during its time on the roofs of Parliament Hill - they also help to make each coin unique!
The Royal Canadian Mint honors the beauty of the Peace Tower Clock with its stunning antique proof design. The mint proudly produced this fantastic coin featuring the Peace Tower Clock with an amazing 3-dimensional effect of the oxidized copper gears which are augmented by a matte-like antique proof finish. This coin is housed in a special extra-large NGC holder due to the fact that this coin itself is quite large - 65.25 millimeters in diameter - and to ensure these oxidized copper gears additions to this coin stay in pristine condition. Struck in five ounces of .9999 pure silver in an engraved work of stunning artistry this coin presents advanced engraving techniques that add a depth perspective to this wonderful design. Applied by hand, the coin's antique finish enhances the precision engraving and gives it an aged look that reflects 90 years of history.
The Obverse was designed by Canadian artist Calder Moore features an antique finish that brings an aged elegance to this depiction of the Peace Tower Clock. Precision engraving re-creates one of the four identical faces that grace each side of the iconic clock tower, which rises up high above Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The Roman numerals, minute markers and geometric-inspired center pattern are all beautifully and faithfully reproduced on the reverse; in fact, the only engraved addition is the widening of the center's circular frame to include the engraved inscriptions for the country of origin "CANADA" located at the top of this coin, the year-date "2017" located on the right side of this design and the denomination - 50 DOLLARS - located on the left side of this coin.
The clock's hands are attached to the center of the coin, and provide an immobile base for the two gear wheels that provide a glimpse at a clock's inner workings. They are exact replicas of two of the clock's gears, albeit on a smaller scale: the larger wheel has 90 teeth while the smaller pinion has 32. For added historical value, these cogs are fashioned from copper that once clad the roofs of Canada's Parliament Buildings - any color variations or markings have been preserved to make each coin unique.
The Reverse contains the classic profile of Queen Elizabeth II. The edge of this coin is serrated. Furthermore, this coin is securely protected in a Very Large NGC Holder - and this NGC signature plastic holder is the same technology that is used for the encapsulation and protection of some of the greatest coins today, including the Smithsonian Institution. A rare label is also present - Canada - Niagara Falls Label from NGC.
THE CLOCK'S STORY:
At the stroke of noon on July 1, 1927, the Peace Tower Clock and Carillon made their timely debut as Canadians celebrated Confederation's Diamond Jubilee. Ninety years later, this commanding timepiece and its copper-clad apex remain the pride of Canada - a symbol of its political heart, and a national icon whose prominence is second only to their flag. Time marches on high atop the 92.2 meter tower on Parliament Hill, where the four clock faces continue to mark the passage of time for an entire nation - in tragedy and in our finest hour.
The Peace Tower clock is their most famous clock and is set to Canada's official time, as measured by the National Research Council's atomic clock. Take a closer look at the number "4": clock and watchmakers frequently use the Roman numerals "IIII" instead of "IV", but that's not always the case: Despite several compelling theories, there is no definitive explanation for this practice - nor is it consistent, since Big Ben uses "IV" while the Peace Tower Clock uses "IIII".
SHIPPING:
This coin will be shipped via expedited, insured, adult-signature-required shipping by UPS at no cost to the winning bidder. For this reason we do not ship outside of the Continental US or to USPS PO Boxes. Please do not bid on this coin if your delivery address does not accept signature-required deliveries.