Coins and Canada - 1 dollar 2012 - Grey Cup - Articles on canadian coins

You are: Home » Canadian coins » Articles » 1 dollar 2012 - Grey Cup

1 dollar 2012 - Grey Cup

By thecanadiannumismatist | Saturday, 9 November 2024

The Royal Canadian Mint has produced five million one-dollar circulation coins to celebrate the 100th Grey Cup. The coin, featuring the iconic Grey Cup, was used during the coin toss prior to each CFL game in the lead-up to and during the 100th Grey Cup game in Toronto on November 25, 2012.

The Royal Canadian Mint's latest circulation one-dollar coin offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the 100th Grey Cup and one of Canada's most exciting annual sporting events.
Each of the five million 100th Grey Cup circulation coins will be a permanent tribute to the lasting legacy of professional football in Canada.

- Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint

The Grey Cup trophy was donated in 1909 by the Right Honourable Lord Earl Grey, then Governor General of Canada and was originally intended to be awarded to the winners of the Dominion Championship of Canadian Amateur Rugby Football.

The very first Grey Cup game, played on December 4, 1909, saw the University of Toronto defeat the Parkdale Canoe Club by a score of 26-6 at Toronto's Rosedale Field before a crowd of 3,807.

The last time the Grey Cup was contested by amateur teams was in 1954 and today is awarded annually to the champions of the professional Canadian Football League. Since 1948, the game has been accompanied by a festival, which spans several days and has itself become a source of pride for Canadians.

The honour of hosting the championship is rotated among CFL cities, where thousands of Canadians make an annual Grey Cup pilgrimage. Millions more make the trip in spirit, by tuning in from their living rooms from coast to coast to coast.

The Grey Cup was not contested for three years for reasons that ranged from respect for the First World War effort to a dispute between rival leagues. By the time of the Second World War, the Grey Cup was considered a fixture of Canadian sporting life.

It has visited most of Canada, our troops in Afghanistan and other battle zones, and will embark on a special tour of the country in 2012.

The trophy that is awarded on Grey Cup Sunday is the original, although its base has evolved and changed over the years, to make room for the names of the winning teams and their players, coaches and management.

The current base, introduced in 1987, has room for one more entry.

This beautiful, new one dollar coin is a shining tribute to the Grey Cup's iconic place in the history, culture and future of Canada.
And the stunning team coins and collections underline the important role our league plays in the life of Canadians and their communities.
I want to thank the Royal Canadian Mint and our fans, who I know will embrace this and everything we're doing to celebrate this year of the 100th Grey Cup with enthusiasm and passion.

- Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League

Specifications

Composition: Multi-ply brass plated steel
Weight: 6.27 g
Diameter: 26.5 mm
Edge: Lisse
Thickness: 1.95 mm
Die axis: ↑↑

1 dollar 2012 prices and values

Collector Coins

Numismatic products have also been produced to celebrate the 100th Grey Cup.

A set for each CFL team featuring a painted commemorative coin designed by Canadian artist Filip Mroz, two commemorative stamps and a special place to collect the circulation coin was available for $25.95
10,000 silver dollars were also being offered to collectors and football fans alike. Featuring a stylized Grey Cup and also designed by Filip Mroz, this 99.99% pure silver coin was available for $69.95. The reverse design features a stylized image of the Grey Cup Trophy mounted on its large base, set against this background is the number 100 in celebration of the 100th Grey Cup Game, the words Grey Cup/Coupe Grey, the face value Canada Dollar and the year 2012. The obverse of the coin features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.