Royal Canadian Mint to display Vancouver 2010 athlete medals at Paralympic
Winter Games

OTTAWA, Feb. 26 /CNW Telbec/ - Due to overwhelming public demand, the Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce that it will continue to display the Vancouver 2010 athlete medals at a new downtown Vancouver venue during the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Several features of the Mint's extremely successful Pavilion will also be retained from March 12 to 21, 2010, at a venue which is to be announced shortly. Residents and visitors to Vancouver will now have ten more days during which to admire up close the spectacular medals which are the talk of Vancouver and the proud work of the Royal Canadian Mint.

"We are thrilled that the opportunity to hold the 2010 Winter Games athlete medals at our Pavilion has been met with unbelievable enthusiasm," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "The people of Vancouver have made it clear that the 2010 Winter Games athlete medals and several unique features of the Mint's Pavilion need to be shared with a wider audience and we are honoured to meet the demand."

"I am delighted that the Royal Canadian Mint is responding to the overwhelming public demand to view the medals by continuing to display the 2010 Winter Games athlete medals at a new Mint Pavilion in Vancouver for the duration of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games," said the Hon. Rob Merrifield, Minister of State for Transport.

    
    Attractions will include:

    -   The Vancouver 2010 Winter Games athlete medals display, with behind
        the scenes presentations by Mint medals production employees
    -   The Mint's Boutique, featuring numismatic and collectible products,
        and
    -   Daily Vancouver 2010 commemorative circulation coin exchanges.
    

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. The Mint is an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and has undertaken to produce the most extensive circulation coin program in relation to the Olympic Games ever conceived by any mint worldwide, while also offering limited mintage collector coins and sets. Visit www.mint.ca/2010 for Vancouver 2010 keepsakes and gifts.

For further information: Christine Aquino, Director, Communications, Royal Canadian Mint, [phone] (tel), [phone] (cell), [email protected]; Alex Reeves, Manager, Communications, Royal Canadian Mint, [phone] (tel), [phone] (cell), [email protected]; Jennifer Field, Account Director, Hill & Knowlton, [phone] (tel), [phone] (cell), [email protected]