Last updated on October 17th, 2023 at 12:16 pm
Last Updated on October 17, 2023 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins
The new Christmas holiday coins have arrived from the Royal Canadian Mint, and they feature multiple unique and beautiful designs. Celebrate your family’s holiday traditions with these Royal Canadian Mint Christmas coins.
Explore the different designs that came out with this release as you take the time to reflect on the holiday pastimes that bring families together.
The Magic of the Season
Few Christmas gift coins spark as much awe as the 2023 The Magic of the Season Fine Silver $20 coin. Only 7,500 coins were minted with this image of Santa riding his reindeer-pulled magical sleigh across the moonlit night sky. Note the charming colours of the lovingly packaged gifts piled up in Santa Claus’s famous sack. What fun toys and gifts could they be holding?
Artist Lisa Thompson Khan truly outdid herself this time. This design is UV-activated, meaning it changes colours under a black light. The “magical night before Christmas” comes to life with the moonlight glow of these UV-reactive Christmas holiday coins. Don’t have a black light? Don’t worry — this coin comes with a black light and is available for purchase at Colonial Acres Coins.
The Magic of the Season coin is a great way to always remember the 2023 holiday season. On the coin’s obverse, you will find the classic effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. This version also includes the two dates of Her Majesty’s reign as well as four pearls symbolizing the four different effigies of the Queen that have appeared on different editions of Canadian coins.
The Nickel-Plated Sledding Polar Bear and Hare
Not one but two charming animals are featured on the 2023 50-cent Holiday Sledding Lenticular Coin. The shifting lenticular image is a fascinating work of art that makes a great gift for all ages. As you tip the coin, you will see the image of the polar bear and arctic hare come to life as they go careening down the hill on their winter sled. This brings back childhood memories for those of us who spent hours climbing up and sledding down a big hill in our neighbourhoods.
In normal wild conditions, an arctic hare would be the prey of a hungry polar bear, but it would not be an easy hunt. Arctic hares can run up to 60 kilometres per hour, whereas polar bears have a top speed of 40 kilometres per hour. The image on this coin’s reverse shows a different sort of interaction, however, where the bear and hare become friends enjoying a sled together. This is a great message of how the holiday season brings people from all different backgrounds together and is another reason why these make great Christmas gift coins.
The Santa Claus coin is not the only one of the Royal Canadian Mint’s Christmas holiday coins that honours the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. This Holiday Sledding Lenticular Coin also immortalizes the four effigies of Her Majesty with four pearls rimming the obverse. The reverse of this coin was designed by Darren Booth, while the obverse was designed by Susanna Blunt.
Christmas Holiday Coins in a Special Gift Set
A single coin makes a great gift for a starting collector, but true collectors know the unmatched feeling of holding a full set of a limited-mint release. The 2023 Holiday Gift Set gives a nod to the natural world just outside Canadian cities with animals like the beaver, moose, and polar bear. With all of these different creatures together, the set is perfect for sharing.
One of the most iconic animal species of the Canadian wilderness is the moose, whose whimsical ornament-adorned antlers make him a sort of mascot of this set. This moose carries the Spirit of Canada while fitting in perfectly with the holiday theme. As the moose coin is a $1 piece, it replaces the traditional loonie, making this non-circulation coin a truly unique edition.
The other coins in this set include a 2-dollar, 25-cent, 10-cent, and 5-cent, and these have a more traditional design. Graced by the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, these coins are only available in special sets like this one, as we await the release of coins bearing King Charles’s effigy into circulation.
The Christmas Traditions We Know and Love
What better time of year to spend time with your loved ones? Being surrounded by your favourite people, watching a holiday classic, decorating a tree, carolling and baking cookies are all part of our heritage. Let’s not forget ugly sweater parties — though we can probably agree that we’ll be fine without an ugly sweater coin.
And of course, one of the most exciting Christmas traditions, especially among the kiddos: exchanging gifts! Can you imagine receiving one of these unique and amazing Christmas holiday coins from a Secret Santa? Such a gift would leave you guessing for months, just begging to find out who came up with such a perfect gift idea. Maybe you can be the Secret Santa who adds this incredible gift to the collection of a coin collector in your family.
The Holiday Spirit Is With Us
Everybody deserves a chance to experience the Canadian Christmas spirit. As you take a look at the seasonal and festive coins of years past, you can get a sense of just what this holiday spirit really is and how it has evolved over the years. One thing is for sure, though: Christmastime is a favourite time of year for us here at Colonial Acres Coins!