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 75thanniversary 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-Merand 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.

• OUR FLAGSHIP COIN: A bestseller since 1937, the annual proof dollaris one of the most sought-after coins issued by theRoyal Canadian Mint. The 2019 edition commemorates the 75th anniversary of D-Day (June 6, 1944).
• A DIFFERENT TAKE ON HISTORY: Thehighly detailed design puts a human face on an event that changed the course of history. It is a tribute to the courage of every Canadian who stepped off the landing crafts and waded into enemy fire.
• A FIRST STEP: The 2019 Proof Dollar is your first step in a year-long journey of commemoration and remembrance that stretches across several coins. Our young soldier’s story is part of Canada’s story in the Battle of Normandy, and it continues on a 14-karat gold coin (“A Footstep in Time”).
• AN IMAGE OF SOUND: A sequence of dots and dashes represents the letter V (for “Victory”) in Morse code—a nod to radio broadcasts that announced the Allied landings.
• REMEMBERING CANADA’S ROLE: Canadians played an important role on D-Day and throughout the Battle of Normandy. This is our way of honouring their legacy.
• INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE:The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
• LIMITED MINTAGE: Only 20,000 coins are available worldwide.
• 99.99% PURE SILVER COIN:Your coin has been expertly crafted in 99.99% pure silver with a proof finish that accentuates every detail to stunning effect. In addition, your coin has no GST/HST.

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, whilethe wedding ring is a reminder of loved ones back home. In the sky above, a sequence of dots and dashesrepresent 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.

• It was one of the most carefully prepared operations of the war All forces (air, ground and naval) underwent intensive training to eliminate potential communication or logisticissues. By May 1944, troops, aircraft, ships, vehicles, supplies and equipment had secretly amassed in southeast England. Prefabricated harbours known as Mulberries were built for unloading cargo and underwater pipelines (Pluto) were put into place to convey fuel and oil across the English Channel.
• Code-name: Juno Until the morning of June 5, troops only knew their landing destination by code name: Utah and Omaha Beaches (American forces) in the west; Gold Beach(British forces) and Sword Beach (British and French forces) in the east; and in the centre, Juno Beach(14,000 Canadian and 8,000 British forces).
• The fleet From battleships and destroyers to landing craft infantry (LCIs) and transport ships, nearly 7,000 Allied vessels took part in the assault phase known as Operation Neptune.
• Weather was a key factor The landings were originally scheduled for June 5, 1944, when a full moon would help illuminate the enemy’s defences. But a storm front moved in on June 4 and the landings were postponed. The weather improved on June 5, but it wasn’t ideal either:many of the troops got seasick during the rough Channel crossing.
• Morse signal “V” for Victory (or “victoire”) began as a symbol of defiance and resistance in Occupied Belgium, and it quickly spread to other countries. BBC radio broadcasts transmitted the letter V in Morse code, with a “dot dot dot dash” sequence that resembledthe opening notes of Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony. 

Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with a black beauty box.