Description

On the eve of the Summer Solstice, a day of great significance for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people across Canada, the Royal Canadian Mint is honouring their rich and diverse cultural heritages with a set of commemorative coins celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day.

National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) celebrates the heritages, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. It is celebrated on the 2023 National Indigenous Peoples Day commemorative $2 circulation coin.

For the first time on a Canadian circulation coin, three different artists have collaborated on a single reverse design – Megan Currie, English River First Nation, Myrna Pokiak (Agnaviak), Inuvialuit Settlement Region and Jennine Krauchi, Red River Métis – actively developed the design together, weaving together their individual expressions to form a powerful ode to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultures and heritages, and an open invitation to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

As the new King Charles III dies were not yet ready for this coin set, all the obverse designs feature a posthumous effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with the addition of the double dates of her reign, 1952-2022.

The coloured and uncoloured circulation coin are also available as collectibles in a six-piece Collector Keepsake coin set. They are packaged in a richly illustrated collector card that contains uncirculated versions of classic 2023-dated circulation coins, from five cents to one dollar.

Other collector products adding to the celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day include: Special Wrap Rolls of 25 two-dollar circulation coins, in coloured and uncoloured versions; a Special Wrap Roll Set featuring a coloured and uncoloured coin roll; and a 1 oz. fine silver version of the circulation coin design.