The Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the gift of friendship with panda-themed silver coin

CALGARY, June 2, 2018 /CNW/ - As a newly arrived family of giant pandas becomes the star attraction of the Calgary Zoo, the Royal Canadian Mint is delighted to launch a colourful fine silver collector coin celebrating a beloved animal and a longstanding symbol of friendship in Chinese culture. This coin, featuring an adorable panda in coloured relief, with a "lucky" $8 face value, was unveiled today at the Calgary Zoo's new Panda Passage exhibit.

"The Mint is delighted to celebrate the irresistible giant pandas who will call Calgary home for the next five years," said Sandra Hanington, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "This is a great opportunity to showcase precious wildlife while creating a coin which, like Calgary's newly-adopted giant panda family, is a genuine gift of friendship."

Panda adults Er Shun and Da Mao were originally loaned to the Toronto Zoo in 2013 as part of a 10-year agreement between Canada and China. Twin cubs Jia Panpan (Canadian Hope) and Jia Yueyue (Canadian Joy) were born in Toronto, during the first half of their decade-long visit.

The reverse of this coin features a photo of a seated giant panda, rendered in vibrant colour over a three-dimensional relief. To its left are the engraved words "Friendship", "Amitié" and the Mandarin translation of the word. The elements stand out against the paper-line texture of a specimen finish.  In keeping with Chinese tradition, an $8 denomination was chosen for good luck. The coin is securely enclosed in a folder-style package that displays this collectible as a miniature work of art. 

Retailing for $29.95, this product is priced as an affordable introduction to coin collecting or to give as a gift to special friends and loved ones. It can be purchased as of June 5, 2018 by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. It will also be available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, at participating Canada Post outlets, and through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors.  

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.

Images of this coin are available at:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qb4rnidasb5lpl2/AABXG6pvj6YFfQwBl8fQi4Wma?dl=0

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint