2000 Canada: 25 cents Achievement - Millennium Series (March)
Quality BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) — Grade: MS-65 GEM
Coin Description
This commemorative 25-cent coin was issued in March 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, "Achievement," honors great human achievements, with a particular reference to space exploration.
The design is the work of artist Daryl Ann Dorosz (initials "DD"). This design symbolizes the ingenuity and technical accomplishments that have marked human history, with a nod to space exploration, a particularly relevant theme at the dawn of the new millennium.
With a mintage of 35,135,154 copies, this coin is today sought after by collectors of the Millennium Series. Examples in GEM grade like this one are very rare. The offered example, 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 artist Arnold Machin. This portrait, known as the "young bust," shows the Queen wearing a circular diamond crown adorned with roses, shamrocks, and thistles, symbolizing the nations of the United Kingdom. The legend "ELIZABETH II D • G • REGINA" surrounds the royal bust, with the denomination "25 CENTS" at the bottom.
For an MS-65 GEM grade, the original mint luster is dazzling, remarkably intense, and perfectly uniform across the entire surface. Contact marks are totally absent to the naked eye, and even under 10x magnification, only tiny microscopic imperfections can be detected. The fields are exceptionally clear.
The Reverse (Achievement - Space Exploration)
The reverse, designed by Daryl Ann Dorosz, depicts a scene symbolizing great human achievements, with a reference to space exploration. An astronaut or a stylized space capsule evokes space exploration, while design elements recall technical and scientific progress. The bilingual inscriptions "ACHIEVEMENT 2000 RÉALISATION" surround the motif, with the mention "CANADA" at the bottom.
This design celebrates human achievements, this ability to push boundaries and accomplish great things, symbolized by space exploration, a particularly significant theme at the dawn of the third millennium. In MS-65 GEM, all design details are stunningly sharp, with a full-strike. The "GEM" quality indicates a coin of exceptional beauty that clearly stands out from lower grades.
Technical Specifications
Condition: MS-65 GEM
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Luster: The original mint luster is dazzling, of remarkable intensity, and perfectly uniform over 100% of the surface.
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Surface: Contact marks are totally absent to the naked eye. The fields are impeccably clear, without any visual distractions.
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Strike: Perfectly centered and full strike with all design details (space scene, inscriptions) of exceptional sharpness.
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Visual Appeal: An MS-65 GEM grade coin represents superior exceptional quality for this commemorative coin from the Millennium Series.
