This
stamp-inspired one-ounce fine silver 50-cent coin marks the 200th
anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria in 1819. Queen Victoria
played a key role in Canadian Confederation and the development of
the young country. She was such an important world figure, reigning
for more than 63 years, that the entire era of her reign is still
referred to as the Victorian Era.
The
design on this coin was originally issued as a Canadian postage stamp
in 1897 to mark the 60th anniversary (diamond jubilee) of her reign.
The portrait on the left shows the young Queen at age 18 when she
came to the throne in 1837, while the image on the right features a
mature image closer to the time of her jubilee. The rectangular coin
includes a deep blue colour, true to the original stamp, together
with a perforated edge with serrations to give it the look of a real
postage stamp. The obverse features a repeating maple leaf pattern
behind the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna
Blunt.
This is an uncut block of four proof five-cent stamps from the 1897 Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee issue. Each of the four stamps features two portraits of Queen Victoria: the first from 1837 when she acceded to the throne, and the second as she appeared in 1897. The initials "V.R.I." signify Victoria, Queen and Empress.
This offering is a unique opportunity to own a rare piece of Canada's postal history from the archives of the American Banknote Company.