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Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Wheelchair Curling Coin issued |
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The Royal Canadian Mint today officially released the third of 17 made for circulation coins to celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Wheelchair curling is depicted on the latest 25-cent coin. The RCM is proud to be the first ever Mint to commemorate the Paralympic Games through the issuing of a circulation coin. Speaking at the coin launch at Variety Village, Mr. Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the RCM, said: "The Royal Canadian Mint has endeavoured to create the most extensive Olympic and Paralympic circulation coin program in the world and we are honoured to include wheelchair curling in this collection." |
"The Paralympic movement uses sport to empower people with physical disabilities at all levels," said Carla Qualtrough, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "We are confident that this world first from the Royal Canadian Mint will bring a heightened awareness to this movement in Canada." Up to 22 million 25-cent wheelchair curling coins will enter into circulation on July 11, 2007. Wheelchair curling is a relatively new sport, making its Paralympic debut at the Turin 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, with Canada winning the gold medal in this event. |
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| Wheelchair curling is the first of two Paralympic circulation coins to be featured in the RCM's sizeable Olympic and Paralympic coin program. The ice sledge hockey 25-cent circulation coin will be launched in June, 2009.
The origin of the Paralympic Games dates back to 1948 when Sir Ludwig Guttman staged the International Wheelchair Games to coincide with the 1948 London Olympic Games. The first Olympic-style games for athletes with a disability - now called the Paralympic Games - were held after the 1960 Olympic Summer Games in Rome, Italy. The first Paralympic Winter Games took place in Vrnskvldsvik, Sweden, in 1976. During the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, approximately 600 athletes will compete in five sports and 64separate medal events. Designed by Canadian artist Glenn Green of Vancouver, BC, the wheelchair curling coin features a curler in the centre, a stylized maple leaf and the words 'Vancouver 2010'. The obverse features the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, rendered by West Vancouver, B.C. artist Susanna Blunt. |
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 In June, 2006, the RCM became an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with the signing of an agreement with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). The RCM has undertaken to produce the largest coin program in relation to the Olympic Games ever conceived by any Mint worldwide.
The RCM has exclusive rights for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in the Minting of circulation, Precious Metal and Base Metal Numismatic and Bullion Coins product and service category and will also be responsible for minting the athlete medals. |
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Over the next three years, the RCM will put into circulation 17 coins in Canada featuring designs related to the 2010 Winter Games. Thirty-six limited mintage collector coins and sets will also be offered. Canadians from coast to coast can share in the pride and touch the Games by collecting and saving these special Canadian coins.
Other Olympic related pages: Newsletters: Royal Canadian Mint releases Freestyle Skiing quarter Coins: The Vancouver 2010 Olympic coins are available in our store. They are not available for shipment outside North America at this time. According to a page 4 article in the June 25, 2007 issue of Coin World , the Royal Canadian Mint now has an agreement, with the United States Olympic Committee, to allow sales of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic coins to the United States. It appears the coins are not yet available for delivery outside North America. The Vancouver 2010 Olympics 50-coin program, the largest yet for any country, started in February, but stalled in April, when Vanoc, the Vancouver Olympic organizers, and the Mint started enforcing a ban on sales outside Canada, as they had no distribution agreement in place with individual nations' Olympic Committees. Canadian and U.S. residents can now order the coins, and get information about them, by calling Brian Grant Duff at (604)684 4613. By order of Vanoc, we are not allowed to display, describe, or sell the coins on our website, on radio, or on television. No terms of the agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee were available at the time the Coin World article was written. The Canadian Numismatic Society email newsletter has been hinting for some weeks that a distribution deal with the States was imminent. It appears we can now ship Vancouver 2010 Olympic coins and souvenir holders to clients in Canada and the United States. 2006 Proof Olympic Lucky Loony in a Bookmark Stamps: 2003 2010 Olympic Overprint attached stamp booklet trio |
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