TORONTO,
Aug. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - A new
one-dollar coin commemorating the
100th Grey Cup, Canada's single biggest annual sporting event,
was unveiled today by the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of
Finance and Minister Responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint.
"This new circulation coin immortalizes an
important milestone in Canada's
sports history and our Government is proud to join Canadians and
Canadian football enthusiasts in celebrating the 100th
Grey Cup," said Minister Flaherty.
"The Royal Canadian Mint's latest circulation
one-dollar coin offers a unique
opportunity to celebrate the 100th Grey Cup and one of
Canada's most exciting annual
sporting events," said Ian E.
Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Each
of the five million 100th Grey Cup circulation coins
will be a permanent tribute to the lasting legacy of professional
football in Canada."
"This beautiful, new one
dollar coin is a shining tribute to the Grey Cup's iconic
place in the history, culture and future of Canada," said Mark
Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League™.
"And the stunning team coins and collections underline the
important role our league plays in the life of Canadians and their
communities," he said. "I want to thank the Royal Canadian
Mint and our fans, who I know will embrace this and everything
we're doing to celebrate this year of the 100th Grey Cup with
enthusiasm and passion."
Starting tomorrow, Canadians can obtain the
100th Grey Cup one-dollar
circulation coin at participating Canada Post locations across the
country.
Designed by Royal Canadian Mint engravers, this
finely crafted circulation coin will be used during the coin toss
prior to each CFL® game in the lead-up to and during the
100th Grey Cup game in Toronto on November 25,
2012. To learn more about the history of the
Grey Cup, please see the attached backgrounder.
Numismatic products have also been produced to
celebrate the 100th Grey Cup. A unique collectable set
for each CFL team featuring a painted commemorative coin designed
by Canadian artist Filip Mroz, two
commemorative stamps and a special place to collect the circulation
coin is available for $25.95, while
supplies last. Ten thousand limited edition silver dollars are also
being offered to collectors and football fans alike. Featuring a
stylized Grey Cup and also designed by Filip Mroz, this 99.99% pure silver coin is
available for $69.95.
As of August
28th, these numismatic products can be purchased
at participating Canada Post
locations, at www.mint.ca/greycup, by calling the Mint at
1-800-267-1871, by visiting the Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver or through the Mint's global network
of dealers and distributors.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for
the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008
certified company, 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.
Images of the circulation and collector coins celebrating the
100th Grey Cup are available by visiting
ftp://communications:RCM2007@ftp.mint.ca.
THE HISTORY OF THE GREY CUP®
AND THE 100TH GREY CUP CIRCULATION COIN
The Grey Cup trophy was donated in 1909 by the
Right Honourable Lord Earl Grey,
then Governor General of Canada
and was originally intended to be awarded to the winners of the
Dominion Championship of Canadian Amateur Rugby Football. The very
first Grey Cup game, played on December 4,
1909, saw the University of
Toronto defeat the Parkdale
Canoe Club by a score of 26-6 at Toronto's Rosedale
Field before a crowd of 3,807.
The last time the Grey Cup was contested by
amateur teams was in 1954 and today is awarded annually to the
champions of the professional Canadian Football League™. Since
1948, the game has been accompanied by a festival, which spans
several days and has itself become a source of pride for Canadians.
The honour of hosting the championship is rotated among CFL®
cities, where thousands of Canadians make an annual Grey Cup
pilgrimage. Millions more make the trip in spirit, by tuning in
from their living rooms from coast to coast to coast.
The Grey Cup was not contested for three years
for reasons that ranged from respect for the First World War effort
to a dispute between rival leagues. By the time of the Second World
War, the Grey Cup was considered a fixture of Canadian sporting
life. It has visited most of Canada, our troops in Afghanistan and other battle zones, and will
embark on a special tour of the country in 2012.
The trophy that is awarded on Grey Cup Sunday is
the original, although its base has evolved and changed over the
years, to make room for the names of the winning teams and their
players, coaches and management. The current base, introduced in
1987, has room for one more entry, which will be the winning team
of the 100th Grey Cup, set for Toronto's Rogers Centre on November 25, 2012.
The Royal Canadian Mint has produced five
million one-dollar circulation coins
to celebrate the 100th Grey Cup. The coin,
featuring the iconic Grey Cup, is available at participating Canada
Post locations across Canada as of
August 28, 2012.
® Registered trade-mark of the Canadian Football
League
™ Trade-mark of the Canadian Football League
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint