Royal Canadian Mint hits a home run with silver coin celebrating the 40th season of the Toronto Blue Jays

TORONTO, April 22, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - With the Toronto Blue Jays back on another exciting hunt for the pennant in 2016, the Royal Canadian Mint is joining millions of fans in saying thanks for the thrills of the past and wishing them a great 40^th season with a colourful new silver collector coin.  This coin, which is available as of today, was revealed before fans gathered at Rogers Centre to watch "Canada's Team" play a Friday night home game.

"As the Minister of Finance, I am very pleased that the Mint is commemorating the 40^th season of Canada's baseball team with this beautiful new coin," said the Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance. "As the MP for Toronto Centre, I am thrilled to be celebrating the rich history and achievements of my hometown baseball team. The Toronto Blue Jays have inspired generations of Torontonians and Canadians alike, from their inception in 1976, to their back-to-back World Series wins in 1992 and 1993, to their exhilarating season last year. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate the Toronto Blue Jays on this important milestone and wish them the best of luck this season. Go Jays Go!"

"The Mint is proud to celebrate Canadian sports history through beautifully crafted coins which capture the spirit of cheering on our favourite teams and athletes," said Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "This new coin, proudly produced by our employees, is for all Canadians who love baseball and love the Blue Jays."

"The support we've seen from fans across this country for the Blue Jays is incredible. We truly represent a nation," said Anthony Partipilo, Vice-president, Marketing and Merchandise, Toronto Blue Jays. "We're honoured the Royal Canadian Mint has chosen to commemorate our 40th season and that all Canadians have the opportunity to be a part of the celebration."

To recognize and support the Toronto Blue Jays in their charitable efforts to produce lasting social change for children and youth, the Royal Canadian Mint is proudly donating $25,000 to Jays Care Foundation.

Designed by Canadian artist Joel Kimmel, the 99.99% pure silver coin celebrating 40 years of Blue Jays history combines skilful engraving with the application of vibrant colour. A red and blue wave inspired by the team's colours flows behind the silhouette of a player with the tell-tale stance of a homerun hitter.  A large engraved "40" commemorates four decades of play since Toronto was granted its MLB franchise in 1976. The figure of the player is also flanked by the team's official logo. Limited to a mintage of 40,000, this coin retails for $99.95 CAD.

This coin can be ordered now by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada,
1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. It is also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver, as well as Jays Shop retail stores (Rogers Centre Gate 1 and 5 stores and Jays Shop CF Toronto Eaton Centre only). The coin can also be purchased through the Mint's network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets. 

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.

Images of this coin are available at ftp://communications:[email protected]

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint

media are asked to contact: Christine Aquino, Director, Communications and Public Affairs, Royal Canadian Mint, Telephone: [phone], [email protected]