Collectors get the chance to own a piece of history in the making with exclusive products from the Royal Canadian Mint's new "R+D Lab Collection"

OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Though the keen collector's search for rare and unusual numismatic finds is never at an end, it certainly got a little easier with the Mint's launch of a new "R+D Lab Collection".  These new experimental products, delivered straight from the test bed to the customer, offer a "behind the scenes" look at how the Mint's accomplished  R+D teams in Ottawa and Winnipeg constantly test the boundaries of coin engineering and minting technologies. The first of two products showcasing the Mint's latest technological forays were issued today.

The Royal Canadian Mint's Special Edition R&D Security Test Token Set

"The products in our R+D Lab Collection are tried, tested and true examples of forward-thinking technology that could re-define the future of domestic and foreign coins," said Dr. Xianyao Li, Chief Technology Officer at the Royal Canadian Mint. "I am very proud of working with talented experts in Ottawa and Winnipeg who are behind the Mint's leadership of the coin industry and I am delighted that their achievements can be publicly celebrated through the R+D Lab Collection".

This new product offering consists of real trial pieces that were produced as the Mint tests new technologies for future coins.  First in the collection is the 2018 $1 Fine Silver Double Concave Coin.  Engraved with the Robert Ralph Carmichael's common loon design which graces the one-dollar circulation coin, this impressive piece is the Mint's first-ever 10-ounce silver dollar.

The coin is also a piedfort, meaning that it has an extra thick edge, traditionally used when creating a special showpiece of a smaller sized coin.

The unique dimensions of the edge allowed the Mint to strike deep concave contours of over
6 millimetres in curvature, on both the obverse and reverse sides of the coin.  The coin is also enclosed in a unique double concave protective capsule to help the collector truly appreciate its dramatic and unusual shape.  Measuring 60 millimetres in diameter and retailing at $1,999.95 CAD, only 112 of these showstoppers have been made.

The second offering in the collection is R+D Security Test Token Set.  This is a six-piece set replete with special features highlighting the Mint's uncontested leadership in coin security.

Retailing at $49.95 CAD and limited to a mintage of 10,000, it includes:

• the Mint's first-ever tri-metal coin, featuring a brass plated steel outer ring, with an inner core of nickel plated steel and copper-plated steel on the opposite side. Made with the Mint's multi-ply plated steel (MPPS) technology, it expands the ability to manipulate the electromagnetic signature of a coin, producing an even more complex covert security feature;
• Moose and Caribou tokens, featuring microtext, raised and sunken maple leaves, as well as positively and negatively embossed beads around their circumference.  The microtext on these tokens is hidden in the animal's fur and it also creates the maple leaf shape that appears above their lower neck;
• A pair of MPPS tokens engraved with the Mint's official logo (one brass-finished and the other nickel) also featuring raised and sunken maple leaf and bead patterns; and
• A Pie Chart token uses various groupings of microtext to create visibly distinct pie-shaped segments.  High magnification reveals that the different shadings are actually produced by microscopic letters using laser technology. The microtext can be smaller than 50 microns.

These products can be ordered directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada,
1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. The Security Token Set will also be available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

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 certified corporation, 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 these products are available here.

For further information: Alex Reeves, Senior Advisor, External Communications, Royal Canadian Mint, Tel: (613) 949-5777, reeves@mint.ca

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