In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!

Long SOLD OUT at the Royal Canadian Mint!

Canada's first railroad engine, the Dorchester 0-4-0 Steam Locomotive, makes this a must-have gold proof!

The story of Canada’s coast-to-coast railway, a gargantuan feat of engineering, was the culmination of a 49-year long romance with the iron road that began with Canada’s first public railway in 1836. Superior sculpting captures the excitement of the early railway in exquisite detail and makes this low-mintage gold proof a must-have work of art!

Canada's First Locomotive and Railroad
The Champlain and St. Lawrence Rail Road was the brainchild of a group of Montreal businessmen that had noticed the prosperity the railway sparked overseas and saw its potential for Canada. In a land where roads were underdeveloped and waterways were frozen for months at a time, a railway between the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain would significantly reduce the travel time between Montreal and New York.

Construction began in January 1835 and, by the end of the year, most of the railway’s infrastructure was in place. A steam locomotive, flatcars, baggage cars, and four passenger cars were also on order. When the locomotive Dorchester was delivered, trial runs were done at night to avoid frightening the public!

The Champlain and St. Lawrence Rail Road opened in July 1836 to a grand celebration. Lord Gosford, Governor General of Lower Canada, and Louis-Joseph Papineau were among the 300 guests to participate in Dorchester’s inaugural run. Canada’s love affair with the railroad had begun. The iron road began to take off in all directions, spawning towns and cities, and ultimately uniting the nation from coast to coast.

Investment Note
This year the mintage limit of the $100 gold coin has been slashed nearly in half, from 5,000 to only 3,000! In 2007, the mintage limit was nearly slashed in half, being reduced from 9,000 to only 5,000, and the $100 gold proof naturally sold out. Consider too the highly collected railroad theme! Once again, this is a very small mintage indeed for this ever-popular and affordable coin, so the 2011 entry in this 30-year-old series seems like a sure sell-out, too!

Obverse
A crowd of amazed onlookers gathers on both sides of the track as Canada's first railroad train, the Dorchester steam locomotive, chugs its way down the railway. The double date commemoration 1836-2011 and the denomination are also indicated.

Reverse
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in profile facing right. This portrait, the fourth effigy of the queen to appear on Canadian coinage, was executed by the artist Susanna Blunt. The legend ELIZABETH II D. G. REGINA ("Elizabeth II, Queen by the Grace of God") and mint mark also appear.

Packaging
The coin is encapsulated inside a burgundy leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and protected by a black outer box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included.

Specifications