2000 Canada: 25 cents Ingenuity - Millennium Series (February)
BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) Quality — Grade: MS-65 GEM
Coin Description
This commemorative 25-cent coin was issued on February 4, 2000, by the Royal Canadian Mint as part of the Millennium Series. After the twelve coins of 1999 that celebrated Canada's past, the twelve coins of 2000 look towards the future. The theme of this coin, "Ingenuity," honors the spirit of innovation and creativity that characterizes Canada.
The design, by artist John Jaciw of Windsor, Ontario, was chosen from over 33,000 entries 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 now sought after by collectors of the Millennium series. Examples in GEM grade like this one are very rare. The example offered, graded MS-65 GEM, 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. The legend "ELIZABETH II D • G • REGINA" surrounds the royal bust, with the value "25 CENTS" at the bottom.
For an MS-65 GEM grade, the original strike luster is dazzling, of remarkable intensity and perfectly uniform over the entire surface. Contact marks are completely absent to the naked eye, and even under a 10x magnifying glass, only infinitesimal microscopic imperfections can be detected. The fields are exceptionally clear.
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):
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Prosperous farms symbolizing flourishing agriculture
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Innovative cities representing urban progress
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Fast and safe transport evoking mobility and connectivity
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An eye 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, this ability to innovate and create that has enabled the country to develop and prosper. In MS-65 GEM, all the details of the four waves and the scenes they contain are stunningly sharp, with a full-border strike. The "GEM" quality indicates a coin of exceptional beauty that stands out significantly from lower grades.
Technical Specifications
Condition: MS-65 GEM
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Luster: The original strike luster is dazzling, of remarkable intensity and perfectly uniform over 100% of the surface.
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Surface: Contact marks are completely absent to the naked eye. The fields are impeccably clear, without any visual distraction.
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Strike: Perfectly centered and full strike with all design details (the four waves, scenes of farms, cities, transport, and the eye towards space) exceptionally sharp.
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Visual Appeal: An MS-65 GEM grade coin represents superior exceptional quality for this commemorative coin from the Millennium series.
