King Charles III will soon be pictured on Canada’s $20 bill.
In honour of the coronation of the new king, Canada will begin circulating collector coins and updated $20 notes with his picture, along with a new Royal Crown, Royal Flag and Canadian stamp.
The government confirmed on Saturday that the new $20 bank notes and new coins made by the Royal Canadian Mint will replace King Charles III’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, during the next design process.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Governor General of Canada Mary Simon and her husband Whit Fraser, and a delegation of Indigenous leaders, young Canadians, and other notable Canadians attended the coronation of Canada’s new Monarch, in London, United Kingdom on Saturday.
“Today, we ring in the reign of His Majesty King Charles III and reaffirm Canada’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. As we celebrate this momentous occasion, let us be reminded of our shared values of inclusivity, diversity, and respect for human rights as we work together to build a better future for all members of the Commonwealth,” Trudeau said on Saturday.
Coins and $20 notes with Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait will remain legal tender when new bills with King Charles on it come into circulation “in a few years.”
In the coming months, the new coins with the king’s Royal Cypher as the symbol to commemorate this historic moment will be revealed to Canadians.
The tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch on Canadian coins began when the Mint started production in 1908 and appeared on Canadian bank notes since the Bank of Canada began production in 1935.
Four silver and pure gold limited collector coins of the King Charles III coronation suite range from $69.95 to $4,1999.95.
“The coronation of a new monarch is a momentous event, and the first such ceremony in 70 years is unprecedented for many Canadians. The Mint is proud to issue finely crafted collector coins that will preserve the memory of this historic occasion,” Marie Lemay, president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, said in a statement on Saturday.
At a coronation celebratory event in Ottawa yesterday, Canada also unveiled the new Royal Crown, Royal Flag and Canadian stamp, approved by King Charles III.
The new Canadian Royal Crown design, created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, has maple leaves and a wavy blue line, which represents the country’s lands and waterways. The design is also a nod to Indigenous teachings about the importance and connection to water and land.
The new flag, also created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, is a representation of the shield of the coat of arms of Canada, featuring maple leaves and royal emblems of the United Kingdom and France.
The first stamp issued in Canada honouring King Charles III will be a portrait of him taken by photographer Alan Shawcross and revealed by Canada Post, continuing the tradition of issuing stamps featuring Canadian monarchs for over 170 years.
To mark the coronation, and in recognition of the king’s longstanding commitment to environmental protection and conservation, Trudeau also announced that Canada will donate $100,000 to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).
“The NCC is Canada’s leading land conservation organization and works to protect land and fresh waters across the country, and often works in close partnership with Indigenous Peoples. toward these shared priorities,” according to the news release on Saturday.
