Commems Collection Canadian: 1971 British Columbia Centennial Silver Dollar

The 1971 commemorative silver dollar relaunched the 36 mm silver dollar in Canadian numismatics, with a switch from a circulating coin of the realm to a commemorative piece geared specifically for collectors (i.e., Non-Circulating Legal Tender - NCLT). (The last circulating, 36 mm silver dollar was issued in 1967.)

The 1971 NCLT British Columbia (BC) Silver Dollar (SD) was issued to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of British Columbia joining the Canadian Confederation. (A circulating nickel dollar for the BC Centennial was also released in 1971. For more about it, see: 1971 British Columbia Centennial - Nickel Dollar.) If the 1971 dollars mark the BC Centennial, then what was the 1958 BC SD about? See more about it here: 1958 British Columbia Silver Dollar - Proof-Like.

The coin's obverse presents a right-facing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II - the "Young Queen" Portrait - designed by Arnold Machin - it reflects an ~37 year-old QEII. The reverse design presents an unofficial version of the Coat-of-Arms of British Columbia. (A more detailed Arms was authorized in 1987.)

1971 British Columbia Centennial Silver Dollar


Note: The Coat-of-Arms depicted on the SD is often referred to as "Official" but the BC Arms, with Supporters, Royal Crest, etc. was not granted by QEII until 1987; the Shield portion, however, was given Royal approval in 1906 by Edward VII. It's "Official" status was as designated by British Columbia vs. Royal grant.

British Columbia's Arms includes elements that symbolize the Province's British heritage, along with those of a more local nature. At the center is the British Columbia Shield. The lower section of the Shield features a sun setting into the Pacific Ocean (represented by blue and white wavy lines); this symbolizes BC's status as Canada's western-most Province. At the Shield's top is the Union Jack, the flag that representats the United Kingdom. Supporting the Shield, at left, is a wapiti stag (Cervus canadensis) - symbolic of the former colony of Vancouver Island (one of its habitats), and on the right is a bighorn sheep ram (Ovis canadensis) - representative of the former colony of British Columbia. (The two colonies became one in 1866.)

Surmounting the Shield is the Royal Crest - a crowned lion atop the Imperial Crown.

Below the Shield is a ribbon that features the Latin phrase "Splendor sine occasu". It translates in English to "Splendour without diminishment".

Present-day British Columbia Coat-of-Arms - Full

(Image Credit: Parliamentary Education Office, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Fair use, education.)

The SD was struck on a planchet of 50% silver and 50% copper. The coin has a finished diameter of 36.07 mm and a weight of 23.3 grams; the coin has a serrated/reeded edge. Patrick Brindley, Chief Engrave of the Royal Canadian Mint, handled the engraving of the designs for each side.

The SD was issued by the Royal Canadian Mint at a price of $3.00 each; the ordering period for the coin opened on April 1, 1971.

The coin was distributed in a black, simulated leather clamshell case with a plastic coin frame insert labelled at its top with "BRITISH COLUMBIA" and flanking "1871" and "1971". The clamshell features a silver imprint of Canada's Coat of Arms and "CANADA" on its lid. The clamshell was inserted into a white cardboard sleeve with a printed Coat-of-Arms of Canada.

1971 British Columbia Centennial Silver Dollar - Clamshell Interior


1971 British Columbia Centennial Silver Dollar - Outer Sleeve


(Images Credit: Royal Canadian Mint media images,)


A total of 585,217 of the 1971 Specimen finish SDs were sold. It was the era of "made-to-order" SDs, and there was a far larger appetite for the Mint's NCLT SDs at the time than there is today.



For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Canadian commemorative stories, see: Commems Collection.