2000 25 cents Creativity/October BU (MS-64) - CHOICE +

2000 Canada: 25 cents Creativity (Millennium Series)
Quality BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) — Grade: MS-64 CHOICE +

Coin Description

This commemorative 25-cent coin was issued in 2000 by the Royal Canadian Mint as part of the Millennium Series, an initiative that marked Canadian numismatic history. In April 1998, the Mint announced a national design competition open to all Canadians to create twenty-four 25-cent coins, one for each month of 1999 and 2000. The 1999 designs looked back at Canada's past, while those of 2000 looked toward the future.

The "Creativity" coin represents October 2000. Its design, by artist Eric (Kong Tat) Hui from Vancouver, British Columbia, offers a glimpse into the arts across three millennia. It depicts an Inuit art boat on the left, a tree in the Group of Seven style at the top right, and a landscape rendered in wireframe on the right, symbolizing the evolution of artistic expression. The bilingual inscriptions "CREATIVITY 2000 CRÉATIVITÉ" and "CANADA" surround the motif, with the denomination "25 CENTS" on the obverse.

A mintage of 35,102,206 copies was produced in BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) quality. The offered specimen, graded MS-64 Choice +, represents an exceptional state of preservation with remarkable visual appeal.

The Obverse (Effigy of Queen Elizabeth II)

The obverse features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Canadian artist Dora de Pédery-Hunt. This is the first royal effigy designed by a Canadian artist, used on coins from 1990 to 2003. It shows the Queen at 64 years old, wearing a circular diamond crown adorned with roses, shamrocks, and thistles, symbolizing the nations of the United Kingdom. The Latin legend "ELIZABETH II D • G • REGINA" surrounds the royal bust, with the denomination "25 CENTS" at the bottom. For an MS-64 Choice + grade, the original mint luster is brilliant, intense, and perfectly uniform across the entire surface. Contact marks are virtually absent to the naked eye; only microscopic imperfections may be detected under a magnifying glass, and nothing distracts the viewer.

The Reverse (Creativity - Three Millennia of Art)

The reverse, designed by Eric (Kong Tat) Hui, illustrates the theme of creativity through three striking artistic representations:

• Left: an Inuit art boat, representing millennia-old indigenous traditions

• Top right: a tree in the Group of Seven style, evoking 20th-century Canadian art

• Right: a landscape rendered in wireframe, symbolizing digital art and the future of creation

This unique composition, where Inuit art coexists with modern art and emerging technologies, illustrates the richness and continuity of artistic creation through time. In MS-64 Choice +, all details of this complex design are perfectly sharp, with a full strike. The "Choice +" quality indicates a coin that surpasses the average MS-64 due to its harmonious balance and superior presentation.

Technical Specifications

Condition: MS-64 CHOICE +

• Luster: The original mint luster is brilliant, intense, and perfectly uniform over 100% of the surface.

• Surface: Contact marks are absent to the naked eye. At most, a tiny minor mark may be found under 10x magnification, but nothing significant. The fields are clear and without distraction.

• Strike: Perfectly centered and full strike with all design details (Inuit boat, Group of Seven tree, wireframe landscape) of exceptional sharpness.

• Visual appeal: An MS-64 Choice + graded coin represents exceptional quality for this commemorative coin from the Millennium series. It offers a quality worthy of the greatest collections.