2015 Canada 25 Cents POPPY NC - BU (MS-70) - EXCEPTIONAL

2015 Canada: 25 cents Poppy - Uncoloured version
BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) Quality — Grade: EXCEPTIONAL MS-70

Coin Description

This commemorative 25-cent coin was issued in 2015 by the Royal Canadian Mint to mark Remembrance Day, continuing the tradition begun in 2004 with the world's first coloured circulation coin. The uncoloured version (UC) of this coin, with its refined design, allows full appreciation of the engraving work and the symbolic details of the poppy, emblem of remembrance for Canadian soldiers who died in war.

With a mintage of 6,250,000 copies for the uncoloured version, examples graded EXCEPTIONAL like this one are of absolute cosmic rarity. The MS-70 grade is the highest possible on the Sheldon scale (1 to 70). For a circulation coin, achieving this grade is theoretically impossible according to conservation standards. This example is therefore likely unique in the world.

What makes this example exceptional: For an uncoloured circulation coin, achieving the MS-70 grade is an achievement that defies the laws of physics and human handling. The preservation must be absolutely perfect:

• ✅ No contact marks, even under 10x magnification

• ✅ Perfect and uniform luster over 100% of the surface

• ✅ Perfectly centered strike with all details sharp

• ✅ No detectable microscopic imperfections

• ✅ Intact edges, without the slightest trace of handling

The Obverse (Effigy of Queen Elizabeth II)

The obverse features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Canadian artist Susanna Blunt, an effigy used on Canadian coins from 2003 to 2023. In accordance with coins of this era, the obverse is adorned with the maple leaf 🍁 at the bottom, a distinctive mark used since 2007. The legend "ELIZABETH II D • G • REGINA" surrounds the royal bust, with the date "2015".

For an EXCEPTIONAL MS-70 grade, the original strike luster achieves absolute perfection. The surface is perfectly uniform, without any interruption, and exhibits a shine that appears supernatural. Contact marks are non-existent even under 10x magnification, and the fields offer exceptional mirror depth. No imperfection, however microscopic, is detectable.

The Reverse (Poppy)

The reverse features the classic poppy design, a symbol of remembrance for Canadian soldiers who died in war. The inscription " REMEMBER • SOUVENIR " is engraved in a banner at the bottom of the coin. The flower is depicted with its characteristic raised petals, allowing full appreciation of the engraving work. Unlike the coloured version, this uncoloured version (UC) offers a more classic rendition that emphasizes the interplay of light and shadow on the metal. The inscriptions "CANADA", "25 CENTS" and the year "2015" complete the reverse.

In EXCEPTIONAL MS-70, all details of the poppy, petals, stem, and banner are absolutely perfect in sharpness, with a full-rim strike. The "EXCEPTIONAL" quality indicates a coin that achieves absolute perfection, without any imperfections, the perfect score on the Sheldon scale.

Technical Specifications

Condition: EXCEPTIONAL MS-70

• Luster: The original strike luster achieves absolute perfection, with exceptional intensity and perfect uniformity over 100% of the surface.

• Surface: Contact marks are non-existent even under 10x magnification. The fields offer exceptional mirror depth. No imperfection, however microscopic, is detectable.

• Strike: Strike perfectly centered over 100% of the surface, with sharp edges and optimal striking pressure.

• Visual appeal: An EXCEPTIONAL MS-70 grade coin represents the absolute pinnacle of perfection for this commemorative coin. It is the perfect score, the ultimate grade, the Holy Grail of numismatics.