Vignettes of Royalty - The Queen Victoria, a 2008 silver proof 15 dollar coin from Canada.

 

The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the 2008 Queen Victoria silver proof coin, the first coin in the new Vignettes of Royalty series featuring ultra-high relief royal effigies from Canada’s past coinage.

This series begins with the longest reigning monarch; the woman who was the inspiration behind the Victorian Era of rapid industrialization and imperialism. Queen Victoria, who came to the throne at the age of 18, was the reigning monarch at the time of the Canadian Confederation in 1867. Although coins with Queen Victoria's effigy were issued for the Province of Canada in 1858 and 1859, this crowned portrait appeared on the 1-, 25- and 50-cent coins that were issued between 1870 and 1901.

This new series features royal effigies on both the obverse and the reverse of these sterling silver coins - another design first for the Royal Canadian Mint. These coins were struck four times and hand-polished in order to achieve their dramatic appearance.