Minted in 2016 by the Royal Canadian Mint, the Canadian Gold HMS Discovery coin is the last coin in the Canadian legacy series of the Tall Ships. This coin is dedicated to the commemoration of HMS Discovery’s 1791-1795 voyage during which Captain George Vancouver was exploring the Pacific Coast all the way to Alaska’s Prince William Sound.
In total, the Royal Canadian Mint minted 275 Canadian Gold HMS Discovery coins. The coin has a diameter of 30 millimeters and its edge is serrated. It has a gross weight of 31.16 grams, which is composed of 1 t/oz 99.99 percent pure gold. The coin’s face value is 200 dollars.
Like the other three preceding coins in the Tall Ships legacy coinage, the obverse of the Canadian Gold HMS Discovery coin is mostly taken up by Susanna Blake’s 2003 design of the age-adapted effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing towards the right with the inscription SB on her right shoulder. The value text, “200 DOLLARS” appears below the effigy. On the left of the effigy is the clockwise text, “ELIZABETH II”. On its right, is the inscription, “D · G · REGINA”.
The reverse of the Canadian Gold HMS Discovery coin is the work of artist Neil Hamelin. The HMS Discovery from the stern view during the Pacific expedition occupies more than half of the coin’s obverse. Her topsails appear fully spilled by the wind as HMS Discovery is sailing along the rugged British Columbia coast with trees lining it up. One can clearly see the upper section of the stern chases and the rudder of the ship above the waters. Also visible are the cabin of the captain, the stern decorations to the British Royal Navy’s huge Red Ensign. The ship leans a little to the right with the name, “Discovery” clearly engraved on it. the words, “CANADA”, “HMS DISCOVERY” appear at the top and bottom of the coin. The year, “2016” is to the right of the ship in the mid-section of the coin. The inscription, “NH” is just above the tree lines on the top-left section of the water.
