Where are coins made in Canada?
Did you know that all Canadian coins are made in Canada? Two main mints produce coins in Canada - the Winnipeg Mint and the Ottawa Mint. The Winnipeg Mint is responsible for creating all of Canada's circulation coins, the kind you have in your pocket right now. The Ottawa Mint produces bullion and special edition collectors coins from silver and gold - coins made of precious metals aren't circulated in Canada anymore. This article will learn about each of these mints and how coins are made in them. So let's take a closer look at each mint and find out what kinds of coins they produce!
Winnipeg mint
The Winnipeg Mint is the only facility in Canada that produces circulation coins. Our nickels, dimes and quarters are made right here in Winnipeg! It is a genuinely world-class coinmaking facility, with the ability to produce over 200 million coins a day. This allows the Canadian mint to produce coins not only for Canada but countries around the world, including Argentina, Norway and Singapore.
How coins are made at the Winnipeg Mint
For the coins to get into your pockets, they have to go through a few steps first. First, the metal blanks are cut out from large sheets of metal. These blanks are then fed into presses, stamping them with the desired design. After they are stamped, they are cleaned and polished before being packaged up and sent out to banks and other retailers. It's an exact process, and the Winnipeg Mint is one of the most advanced coin-making facilities in the world!
The Ottawa Mint
The Ottawa Mint is responsible for producing all of Canada's special edition coins, including our beautiful silver and gold coins. The mint is located in the heart of Ottawa, overlooking Parliament Hill. These coins are made from high-quality silver and gold, and they are very popular with collectors. Because these coins are precious, the Royal Canadian mint applies proprietary anti-counterfeiting measures such as colour, engraving, and holograms.
How coins are made at the Ottawa Mint
The process of making special edition coins is a bit different from making circulation coins. First, the metal blanks are cut out of highly refined .99999% pure gold and .9999% pure silver. Once the blanks are complete, they are stamped with carefully designed dies. These carry artwork by master artists, usually reflecting key Canadiana. Then, they are polished and cleaned before being packaged up and shipped to retailers worldwide.
Conclusion
So there you have it- a brief overview of where coins are made in Canada. Both the Winnipeg Mint and the Ottawa Mint produce Canadian coins, and they do it in very different ways. The Winnipeg Mint is very good at making large quantities of high-quality circulation coins that can stand up to everyday use and abuse. These include everyday circulation coins, such as the red poppy quarters you might see around remembrance day. Meanwhile, Ottawa produces beautiful collector coins of Silver and Gold. They are sought after for both their valuable metal and impeccable artwork - you won't find one of these in your pocket.