The Royal Canadian Mint invites Canadians to vote on designs for 2017 circulation coins

OTTAWA, Sept. 1, 2015 /CNW/ - With the finalist designs now selected, the Royal Canadian Mint is inviting Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast to vote on what will be depicted on Canada's 5-cent, 10-cent, 25-cent, one-dollar and two-dollar coins that will appear in 2017. Canadians can vote for their favourites on www.mint.ca/Canada150 until October 9.

"I was delighted and impressed by the artistic talent shown by Canadians in their design submissions for the coin design contest," said Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint.  "The next phase of the contest now lies in the hands of the public who will choose what designs best represent our country and the Mint looks forward to these circulation coins being released during Canada's 150^th anniversary celebrations in 2017."

The Royal Canadian Mint received over ten thousand entries from every province and territory for the My Canada, My Inspiration coin design contest, with designs being submitted in each of the following five categories: 

• Our Wonders (Canada's beauty, from nature to monuments)
• Our Character (Values or principles which define Canadian identity)
• Our Achievements (Discoveries, exploration or victories)
• Our Passions (From culture to sports, to pastimes)
• Our Future (This category was reserved for Canadians 12-years of age and under for the 25-cent coin)

The five finalist designs per category were determined by a team of employees and internal experts at the Royal Canadian Mint and a panel of notable Canadians. Please see the attached backgrounder for the full list of finalists. 

Further information on the contest can be found at www.mint.ca/Canada150.

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.

Backgrounder

FINALISTS IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN MINT'S
2017 CIRCULATION COIN DESIGN CONTEST

The Royal Canadian Mint received over ten thousand entries from every province and territory for the My Canada, My Inspiration coin design contest with designs being submitted in each of the following five categories:

• Our Wonders (Canada's beauty, from nature to monuments)
• Our Character (Values or principles which define Canadian identity)
• Our Achievements (Discoveries, exploration or victories)
• Our Passions (From culture to sports, to pastimes) 
• Our Future (This category was reserved for Canadians 12-years of age and under for the 25-cent coin)

The following five designs per category were determined as finalists by the Royal Canadian Mint and a panel of notable Canadians:

Our Wonders
The Salmon's Run		Lucas Carmona		Toronto, Ontario
Flora and Fauna Snowflake		Laura Kinder		Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada Goose		Sinclair Healy		Vancouver, British Columbia
Canadian Icons		Sam Paonessa		Toronto, Ontario
Dance of the Spirits		Timothy Hsia		Richmond, British Columbia
Our Character
Our Home and Native Land		Sarah Ko		Markham, Ontario
Confederation Bouquet		Stephen Hsia		Richmond, British Columbia
Canadian Wings of Peace		Amy Choi		Calgary, Alberta
The Canadian Family		Robert Beaupré		Saint-Lambert, Québec
True North Strong and Free		Robert Romano		Richmond Hill, Ontario
Our Achievements
Wheat		Michael Little		Halifax, Nova Scotia
Coast to Coast		Victoria Heryet		Delta, British Columbia
Making the Impossible Possible		Gordon Ho		Ottawa, Ontario
Coast to Coast		Wesley Klassen		St. Catharines, Ontario
To Sea of Blue from Sea of Gold		Allie Smorodin		Buchanan, Saskatchewan
Our Passions
Farmers – Our Lifeline		Katherine Moon		Chatham, Ontario
Winter Fun		Andrew Meredith		Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Campfires		Laura Timmermans		Nanaimo, British Columbia
Want to Build a Snowman?		Stephen Black		Scarborough, Ontario
Aboriginal First Nations Beaver		Gerald Gloade		Millbrook First Nation, Nova Scotia
Our Future
The Colours of Art in Canada		Kelly Tsui		Richmond Hill, Ontario
Fly Canada Fly		Adrian Chan		Richmond, British Columbia
Looking Beyond		Zoey Russell		Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia
Birth of a Green Future		Joelle Wong		Richmond Hill, Ontario
A Mechanical Future		Candace Wong		Markham, Ontario

The image and full description of each design is available online at www.mint.ca/Canada150.

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint

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