The Royal Canadian Mint will produce a $2 coin and two 25-cent coins to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields, but has yet to announce the official launch date.
Lt. Col. John McCrae, c1914. Photographer: William Notman and Son. Guelph Museums, Reference No. M968.354.
The $2 coin will depict McCrae on the battlefield in the wake of the Second Battle of Ypres in early May 1915, writing the poem In Flanders Fields and surrounded by the symbols featured in the poem — birds, crosses, and poppies. The word Remember will be inscribed around the edge of each coin.
The 25-cent coins (one in colour and one non-coloured) will feature a prominent, natural-looking poppy, an integral symbol of remembrance for Canadians.
The Royal Canadian Mint said in a notice published in the Canada Gazette, “It is one of the First World War’s most recognized poems and an integral part of Canadian culture.
“The poem’s striking imagery has served to solidify both the poem and the poppy as enduring and powerful symbols of remembrance for all Canadians.
The Royal Canadian Mint also said the coins will be part of a coin program honouring all Canadian veterans and current members of the Canadian Forces.
The mint has already created limited-edition silver coins to commemorate the poem’s anniversary that sell on its website for more than $500 in some cases.
