Last updated on April 16th, 2020 at 06:56 am
Last Updated on April 16, 2020 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins
Viola Desmond is one of the key figures of Canadian history of the twentieth century. In order to honour her memory, and to commemorate Black History Month, the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has created one of the finest Canadian silver coins to date.
Who is Viola Desmond?
Viola Desmond is one of the faces of the fight against segregation in Canada. She was a regular businesswoman, until one day she was asked to leave an all-whites only area of a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. She refused to move from her spot in complete defiance of the segregation laws that were in place at that time.
Because of her refusal to move, she was convicted of tax violation, as she was sitting in a more expensive seat than what she had paid for – the seat in question cost a single penny more. Later, her case has become one of the most significant examples of racial discrimination in twentieth-century Canada. Viola Desmond was posthumously pardoned in 2010. In commemoration of her case, there was a banknote issued in 2018, and now a masterpiece among Canadian silver coins.
The Coin
Created by artist Susanna Blunt, the Viola Desmond coin is almost 100% pure silver. On the face side of the coin, you can see a detailed portrait of Ms. Desmond herself. On the side of her portrait are her birth year, and the year she passed away. Right on top of these dates is an original reproduction of Ms. Desmond’s signature, as seen on several of her beauty products. On the reverse side of the coin, you can see a profile depiction of Queen Elizabeth II, and a depiction of the year 2019.
The coin is serialized and has a diameter of 38 millimetres. This means that this tiny, 31.39-gram coin, only has a face value of 20 Canadian dollars, however, the significance of this minting masterpiece is carried by the person it commemorates. Viola Desmond will be remembered as a key figure in the fight against discrimination for decades to come.
A total of 8,000 Viola Desmond coins were minted by the Royal Canadian Mint, which makes the edition relatively rare. However, all 8,000 limited edition coins are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the RCM.
The Complete Collection
In order to have the complete collection of Viola Desmond items, you should consider investing in a full package, which contains both the newly minted coin and the 2018 banknote. The banknote is an excellent addition to your Canadian silver coin. It is a 10-dollar vertical polymer banknote, which features a large image of Viola Desmond on the obverse side, and an image of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The bill is in official circulation and is also the first ever Canadian vertical banknote.
Why Should You Choose This Canadian Silver Coin?
The value of this coin and banknote set will come with time, as with any newly created collectible coin. However, even at this moment, the Viola Desmond coin holds a special value as it is a representation of the fight for the rights of African-American people around the world. This coin would be especially valuable to the relatives of people whose human rights were violated during the years of segregation in North America. Viola Desmond is a symbol of the fight for equality through which African-Americans were going through daily during the twentieth century.
Other than the sentimental and social value the coin brings, the execution of the minting is impeccable. This means that the special Viola Desmond coin will significantly increase in value over time. You cannot compare the face value to the value this Canadian silver coin will have for a true collector.