Last updated on May 2nd, 2024 at 03:34 pm
Last Updated on May 2, 2024 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins
The Canada we know and love today was made possible by the sacrifices of those who paved the way before us. Among those trailblazers are the brave souls who fought in the Battle of Chateauguay and the Battle of Crysler. Canadian Mint coins are ideal for highlighting these world-changing events and ensuring that they do not fade into distant memories. This is precisely what the coin commemorating these two important battles seeks to do.
How These Historic Events Helped Shape Modern Canada
These two battles played a great role in determining the future of Canada we enjoy today as they were instrumental in thwarting the attempts by the USA to invade the country. They occurred during the second year of the War of 1812, a bitter offensive between the USA and Britain. Had the invasion been successful, Canada would have likely wound up as one of the states in the USA and would today be a markedly different place.
Two armies, led by America military leaders, Wade Hampton and James Wilkinson, descended on Canadian soil with a shrewd plan to attack the British stronghold Montreal in a pincer-like move (approaching from two different angles and closing in on Montreal). They were met with resistance from the leaders of brave Canadian-British forces, Colonel Charles-Michel d’Irumberry de Salaberry and Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Wanton Morrison and the equally brave, highly motivated men they led.
The Battle of Crysler, which took place in Upper Canada occurred first (November 11, 1813) as Hampton’s men with numbers far superior to those commanded by de Salaberry were defeated and were forced to retreat to their base. The second battle took place in Lower Canada between Wilkinson’s forces and the men led by Morrison. Morrison had only 1200 men compared to Wilkinson’s 8000, but through the use of military wit and the unrelenting persistence of men who were determined to prevent the invasion, they still managed to emerge from the fray victorious. British-Canadian forces were successful in keeping the invaders out but they paid a dear price. Hundreds of men sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, a great portion of them hailing from Quebec.
The Treasured Keepsake at a Closer Look
The reverse of the coin is divided into two sections- a lower and upper section reflecting a mapped depiction of the scenes of the great battles. The lower portion shows the location of the Battle of Chateauguay while the upper portion reflects the location of the Battle of Crysler. Imposed on the map is a depiction of actual war scenes from each battle. The depiction of de Salaberry and his men gearing up for battle at Chateauguay is an actual reproduction of a mural crafted by artist Henry Julein. While the work replicated on the upper side of the map is actually that of artist Adam Sherrif-Scott. The latter depicts the heat of the battle with men aiming and firing while their commander belts out instructions.
The name of each battle is written around the inner circumference (in both French and English), functioning as a sort of frame for the main image. On the obverse, the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second can be found along with the face value of the coin. There are only fifteen authentic versions of this coin in the world. With such a low mintage, and highly valuable core material (99.99% gold) they are destined to appreciate in value. Additionally, the face value of 2500 dollars is a strong indicator of the coin’s significant monetary worth. These fifteen Canadian Mint coins will undoubtedly make superb additions to any collection.
