Description
First issued in 1979, the Gold Maple Leaf became the world’s first bullion coin struck in 99.99% pure gold in 1982. Today’s one-ounce coin weighs 31.11 grams, measures 30 mm in diameter and carries a CAD $50 face value as Canadian legal tender. The Royal Canadian Mint reports more than 25 million troy ounces sold since the coin’s introduction.
The reverse features a single sugar maple leaf, Canada’s best-known national symbol, designed by Walter Ott and unchanged since the coin’s debut. Most coins dated 2024 and later show King Charles III on the obverse in a portrait by artist Steven Rosati; earlier coins carry effigies of Queen Elizabeth II.
Security is a defining feature. Precision-machined radial lines create a distinctive light-diffracting pattern, a micro-engraved maple leaf on the reverse shows the two-digit year under magnification, and coins dated 2014 and later can be authenticated with the Mint’s Bullion DNA technology at participating dealers. These layers make the coin one of the more secure gold bullion products available.
Buyers choose the Gold Maple Leaf for its exceptional purity, sovereign backing and global recognition. Because pure gold is soft, coins are best kept in their original packaging. Its .9999 fineness allows the coin to be considered for a self-directed IRA under the tax code’s bullion rules, subject to custodian approval.
