Other Country’s Coin Designs

It is important to see what other countries are doing when looking at coin designs. We do not have to look further than Canada to find fascinating designs.

The Royal Canadian Mint issued the 2004 Remembrance Day poppy 25-cents coin, the world’s first colorized circulating coin. The RCM produced 30 million coins featuring a red poppy on the reverse. The RCM expanded the program in 2008 for the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I with other collectibles.

In 2006, the RCM partnered with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to create a pink ribbon colorized coin. The pink ribbon is the symbol of hope and awareness for breast cancer. Talking about breast cancer also brings awareness to all cancers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, one-in-three people have been diagnosed with cancer or a direct relative diagnosed with cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and my family was reduced by someone who died of cancer, including my first wife.

Although I have a collection of Canadian coins, I have an uncirculated pink ribbon 25-cents coin as part of a personal remembrance collection. It is a collection that represents places and people in my past. The Canada Pink Ribbon 25-cents coin and silver commemorative are part of that collection in memoriam to Elisa and my other relatives who lost their battles with cancer.

My story is also a reminder that you do not have to collect in the way others recommend. You do not have to fill blue, brown, or green books with coins or the lists produced by someone else, and you can collect based on the topics that mean something to you. Go out and enjoy your collection!