2000 Canada: 25 Cents Ingenuity - Millennium Series (February)
BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) Quality — Grade: MS-64 CHOICE
Coin Description
This commemorative 25-cent coin was issued on February 4, 2000, by the Royal Canadian Mint as part of the Millennium series. Following the twelve coins of 1999 that celebrated Canada's past, the twelve coins of 2000 look to the future. The theme of this coin, "Ingenuity," highlights the spirit of innovation and creativity that characterizes Canada.
The design, by artist John Jaciw of Windsor, Ontario, was chosen from over 33,000 submissions in a national competition. Jaciw, who worked for 30 years as a packaging designer, brought a unique vision to this coin. Born in Ukraine, he immigrated to Canada in 1949.
With a mintage of 35,812,988 copies, this coin is highly sought after by collectors of the Millennium series today. The offered specimen, graded MS-64 Choice, boasts 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. The 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 magnification, and nothing distracts the eye.
The Reverse (Ingenuity - An Ideal Society in Four Waves)
The reverse, designed by John Jaciw (initials "JJ"), represents a vision of an ideal society organized into four waves (crescents):
-
Prosperous farms symbolizing flourishing agriculture
-
Innovative cities representing urban progress
-
Fast and safe transportation evoking mobility and connectivity
-
An eye turned towards space symbolizing exploration and future technologies
The bilingual inscriptions " INGENUITY 2000 INGÉNIOSITÉ " and the mention " CANADA " complete the reverse.
This unique design celebrates the Canadian spirit of innovation, the ability to innovate and create that has enabled the country to develop and prosper. In MS-64 Choice, all the details of the four waves and the scenes they contain are perfectly sharp, with a full-strike.
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 minuscule minor mark might 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 (the four waves, scenes of farms, cities, transportation, and the eye to space) of exceptional sharpness.
-
Visual Appeal: An MS-64 Choice graded coin represents exceptional quality for this commemorative coin from the Millennium series.
