OTTAWA, July 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Canadian
Mint's newest Second World War Battlefront Series fine silver coin
commemorates the bravery and sacrifice of Canadian soldiers who, 75
years ago, helped the Allies win control of the Dutch and Belgian
shores of the strategic Scheldt river. This costly battle, fought
from September to October 1944,
secured a vital supply line that helped Canada liberate the
Netherlands and made the Allied liberation of Western Europe possible. The coin was proudly
unveiled by Mint President and CEO Marie
Lemay and His Excellency Henk van der Zwan, Ambassador of
the Kingdom of the Netherlands to
Canada. This ceremony took place
at the Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Centre in Ottawa, in the company of Second World War
veterans and Allied nations representatives.
"The Mint is proud to honour Canada's veterans through coins that preserve
incredible stories of courage and sacrifice in defence of Canadian
values," said Marie Lemay, President
and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Our newest collector coin
shares the valour and determination that contributed to the
hard-won success of Canada's
soldiers at the Battle of the Scheldt."
"While victory at the Battle of the Scheldt ultimately helped
pave the way for the Allied liberation of Western Europe, it came at a tremendous cost.
More than 6,000 Canadians were killed or wounded during five weeks
of intense conflict with well-fortified German forces along the
Scheldt River," said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of
Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence. "As
time passes, it is critical that we not forget the contributions
made by Canadians during the Second World War, and I am grateful
that the Royal Canadian Mint is paying tribute to their eternal
legacy of courage and sacrifice."
"The Battle of the Scheldt is a significant milestone in the
shared history of the Netherlands
and Canada. Led by Canadians, this
fierce battle marked the beginning of the liberation of
the Netherlands," said
Henk van der Zwan, Ambassador of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands to
Canada. "We are proud that the
Royal Canadian Mint, with this coin, pays tribute to Canadian
soldiers who bravely fought to make 75 Years of Freedom possible.
The commemorations of the Battle of the Scheldt will be celebrated
in the Netherlands on August 31. This will be the kick-off to a year
full of celebrations to mark the 75th Anniversary of the
Liberation of the
Netherlands."
Canadian artist Mary McPherson
designed the Battle of the Scheldt silver collector coin, which
presents a realistic portrait of a Canadian Ojibwa soldier in
action in the fall of 1944. The insignia of the First Canadian Army
appears above the infantryman, who wields a Bren gun while
advancing past a tower mill. A Wasp MKII C flamethrower Universal
Carrier backs the infantry advance from atop an embankment near the
Scheldt River. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T.H. Paget.
The 2019 $20 Fine Silver Coin -
Second World War Battlefront Series: The Battle of the Scheldt has
a limited mintage of 8,500 and retails for $94.95. It can be ordered as of August 6, 2019 by contacting the Mint at
1-800-267-1871 in Canada,
1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for
the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. 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. Follow the Mint on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram.
Images of this coin are available at
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/v1hfiieazic1tbn/AAAmL7I_D_MHiKRTyoT2Ht3qa?dl=0
Media are asked to contact: Alex
Reeves, Senior Manager, Public Affairs, The Royal Canadian
Mint, Telephone: 613-884-6370, reeves@mint.ca; Keum Roling, Senior Officer Communications &
Public Diplomacy, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Telephone: 613-218-7451,
Keum.Roling@minbuza.nl