SEPTEMBER SHINES AS ROYAL CANADIAN MINT RELEASES NEWEST COLLECTOR COINS IN
GOLD, PLATINUM AND SILVER

OTTAWA, Sept. 28 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to demonstrate its skill and craftsmanship with a new selection of precious metal collector coins celebrating symbols of Canadian heritage ranging from prehistory to heraldry. These new collector products include a $300 platinum coin featuring the giant prehistoric ground sloth, a $300 gold New Brunswick Coat of Arms coin and extra-thick "Piedfort" pure gold and silver Maple Leaf coins.

"The Royal Canadian Mint values the role its collector coins play in showcasing Canada's vast heritage through precious and unforgettable works of art and craftsmanship," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Collectors from Canada and around the world will find that the Mint's newest collector coins honour the tradition of celebrating Canada's defining features through keepsakes of uncompromising quality".

The following are descriptions of the products now available to collectors and gift givers worldwide.

2010 $300 PLATINUM COIN — GROUND SLOTH

The fourth issue in the Mint's exclusive Prehistoric Animals Collection of 9995 fine platinum coins features the gigantic Jefferson's Ground Sloth, so called after the third President of the United States of America donated, in 1797, the first fossil specimens found in North America to Philadelphia's American Philosophical Society. The tradition of showcasing the fascinating animals which roamed ancient Canada continues on this precious Mint coin containing a full ounce of pure platinum. Like the rare bones of the creature it immortalizes, this platinum coin has been made in very low quantities, with a worldwide mintage of only 200 examples. Designed by Alberta artist Kerri Burnett, this coin retails for $2,999.95 CAD.

2010 $300 GOLD NEW BRUNSWICK COAT OF ARMS

The Mint has introduced the latest in its series of $300 gold coins series dedicated to Canada's Official Provincial Coats of Arms. This ornate, oversize coin celebrates the Coat of Arms assigned by Royal Warrant of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 24, 1984; New Brunswick's bi-centennial. The heraldic symbols added under this Warrant include an Atlantic salmon with St. Edward's Crown; a grassy mound covered with fiddleheads and purple violets (the province's floral emblem); and two white tailed deer. The Union Badge represents English, Scottish and Irish settlers while the Royal Arms of France on the right acknowledges French settlement.

Only 500 of these proof 14-karat gold coins have been produced, each of which retail for $2,249.95 CAD.

2010 $10 1/5-OZ PURE GOLD AND 2010 $5 1-OZ PURE SILVER PIEDFORT COINS - MAPLE LEAF

The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to celebrate its expertise and artistry in the field of precious metal refining and manufacturing with a pair of pure gold and silver "Piedfort" coins whose exceptional thickness distinguishes them from ordinary coins and makes them spectacular gifts or collectibles for those with an eye for the exclusive.

Both the $10 1/5 oz. 99.999% pure gold coin -the Mint's first gold Piedfort, and    the 1 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin -only the second of these coins the Mint has produced in silver, feature the iconic maple leaf, long symbolic of the Mint's leadership of the world bullion industry. Only 3,000 1/5 oz. coins of 99.999% pure gold and 9,000 silver one-ounce coins of 99.99% purity are being made available in this exciting release.

The entire mintage of 99.999% pure gold coins Piedfort coin is offered as part of a set including the 99.99% pure silver Piedfort coin, retailing at $679.95 CAD.   Another 6,000 individual silver Piedfort coins are being offered at $79.95 CAD each.

All of the Mint's products are available directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Internet at www.mint.ca. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors.

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 and product details of the Mint's newest collection are available by visiting ftp://communications:[email protected].

For further information:

Alex Reeves
Manager, Communications
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
[email protected]