2015 Brakeman Cupronickel Commemorative Quarter

Part of the Haunted Canada Quarter Series.

Ghosts, unexplained events and hauntings… there is no shortage of these stories from across Canada. Many have been told and retold so often that fact and fiction are nearly indistinguishable from one another. Canadians of all ages delight in sharing these tales of life and death, of love and tragedy, and of duty and devotion—including the haunting story of the headless brakeman, as retold by this second coin in the Haunted Canada series of lenticular coins.

Design: Its reverse design features spectacular lenticular technology that masterfully tells the chilling tale of Vancouver's headless brakeman. In one image, the dark train tunnel is suddenly illuminated by the bright glow of a lantern as an otherworldly figure emerges before the viewer, dressed in a railway uniform from 1928. Chillingly, the brakeman appears without a head, with two small, glowing orbs that create the illusion of eyes peering out towards the viewer. When the coin is tilted to the other side, the light suddenly goes out, leaving the viewer alone in the darkness with this shadowy presence, as the ill-fated brakeman continues his eternal walk along the train tracks.