Commems Collection Canadian: 2012 Grey Cup Centennial

In 2012, the Royal Canadian Mint ("Mint") launched a multi-coin program to mark the 100th Anniversary of the playing of the Grey Cup - the championship game and trophy of the Canadian Football League (CFL). (The early championships were referred to as the Dominion Championship of Canadian Amateur Rugby Football.) The Mint released a $1 coin for circulation, a series of eight 25-cent coins that feature a colourized football and logo of one of the eight present-day CFL teams (included in a coin-and-stamp set) and a non-circulating legal tender (NCLT) commemorative Silver Dollar.

The first Grey Cup, named in honor of Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey, Governor General of Canada (1904-1911) who commissioned and donated the trophy in 1909, was played on December 4, 1909 in Toronto, Ontario at Rosedale Field. The competitors that day were the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the Parkdale Canoe Club. The game was witnessed by 3,807 spectators who sat on temporary bleachers brought in for the game. The final score was 26-6 in favor of the Varisty Blues. As the Cup was not ready for presentation at the time of the game, the Varsity Blues squad had to wait until March, 1910 to be receive it.

The 100th Grey Cup was won on November 25, 2012 by the Toronto Argonauts - who defeated the Calgary Stampeders 35-22; the game was held at the Rogers Center in Toronto. It was a nice "full circle" for Toronto.

Note: If you were wondering why the SD claims to be marking the centennial of the Grey Cup in its 103rd Anniversary year, it's because the coin marks the 100th playing of the Grey Cup game (it was suspended for three years during World War I.)

The coin's obverse presents Susanna Blunt's right-facing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The commemorative reverse design, featuring an image of the Grey Cup trophy superimposed over a cropped view of the text engraved on the Cup, was the work of Filip Mroz of Bensimon Byrne; Bensimon Byrne was/is an advertising agency in Toronto. The "100" seen above the trophy is a nod to the playing of the 100th Grey Cup game.

The 2012 Grey Cup Centennial SD was a "Special Edition" release with a mintage limit of 10,000; per the Mint Annual Report of 2012 and 2013, the SD had net sales of 9,985 units. It was struck on a pure silver (0.9999 fine silver) planchet with a diameter of 36.07 millimeters and a weight of 23.175 grams; the coins feature a serrated/reeded edge. The SD was a "Proof Only" issue; its issue price was $69.95 (CAD).

Sales were reasonably strong at the time of the SD's release, with the coin eventually reaching "Sold Out" status. The SD has remained popular enough over the years since its release to have held its issue price (or even demand a small premium over it) in the marketplace.

2012 Grey Cup Championship Centennial Silver Dollar - Reverse



For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more on Canadian commemorative Silver Dollars, see: Commems Collection.