Though my collecting intent for Canada's "Exploring Canada" series of Silver $15 coins has been to assemble a "set within a set" - namely a set of coins that represented a verifiable joint history between Canada and the United States ("US"), I decided to
stretch my parameters a bit and purchase a coin from the series that definitely leans heavily to the "Canada" side of the ledger but has a potential fingertip on the "US" side. I present "The Vikings" coin...
An 11th century history by Adam of Bremen, a medieval historian/chronicler, described a land called "Vineland" - so named due to its free-growing grape vines from which wine could be made (hence the aka moniker of "Wineland"). Similar references were made in the Viking sagas of the 13th century, and include discussions of Leif Ericsson and his role in exploration of the area circa 1000 AD.
In the 1960s, the excavation of L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, confirmed Norse settlement that dates to the time of Ericsson but did not prove the settlement was established by him. Today, the site is part of the Parks Canada system.
The settlement is believed to have been a base camp from which Norse parties repaired their ships and explored surrounding areas (e.g., Nova Scotia, Labrador), ventured further into the interior of Canada (via the St. Lawrence River) and traveled south to areas that may have included areas in the present-day United States.
As with the other coins of the series, the coin's commemorative reverse design was created by freelance artist John Mantha. It depicts a single-sail Viking longship - with a dragon head bow indicating it was a war ship vs. merchant vessel - approaching the coast of (presumably) Vineland. The ship's captain stands at the bow pointing out the direction for the ship to head. Nine shields can be seen lining the ship's port side. Rocks rise from the sea in the background.
The proportions of the ship have never seemed "right" to me - either the captain is over-sized or the ship is too small, but they don't seem to go together. Regardless, the design is far better than I could do and makes for an interesting coin.
The Royal Canadian Mint (R C M) launched its "Exploring Canada" series in 2014. The series includes ten 0.9999 fine silver $15 coins, 36.07 mm in diameter with a weight of 23.17 grams - the same planchet specifications as those of the Mint's silver dollar (SD) commemorative series of the time. The collection is intended as a showcase for Canadian exploration and history, and includes six coin releases from 2014 and four from 2015. The coins were available individually and via subscription; the subscription included a custom-printed display box with interior wells for all ten coins.
The Matte Proof coin was issued at $54.95 CAD; it had a maximum stated mintage of 15,000. Per Mint Reports for 2014 and 2015, the "The Vikings" coin (the fourth release of the series) sold 5,568 and 1,033 units, respectively, for a total of 6,601 coins - just 44% of its maximum potential.
I've purchased each of my coins from the series in the aftermarket - at lower than the Mint's Issue Price, so I'm "good" with this
stretch purchase!
2014 Exploring Canada - The Vikings Silver $15
For other of my posts about Canadian commemorative coins and medals (plus those of the US and other countries!), see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 07/19/2025 08:03 am
