Mint unveils single mine gold coin sourced in northern Ont.

The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin – made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario.

The gold for the coin is sourced and refined under strict segregation protocols, exclusively from Agnico Eagle’s Detour Lake Mine, according to the mint’s news release on Sept. 20.

Costco Canada members will have the first opportunity to acquire the 2024 $50 one-ounce 99.99 per cent Pure Gold Maple Leaf Single Mine bullion coin, the mint said in the release.

According to the mint, these types of coins are among the world’s most popular gold bullion coins.

"The Royal Canadian Mint is known worldwide for its refining prowess and innovation, as well as its robust environmental, social and governance practices,” said Marie Lemay, the mint’s president and CEO.

“We are proud to once more showcase the purity and responsibility of our Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin by partnering with Agnico Eagle's Detour Lake mine to issue our newest single mine Gold Maple Leaf coin."

The coin’s reverse features Walter Ott’s iconic Sugar Maple leaf engraving, surrounded by precisely machined radial lines. Beneath this design, a micro-engraved maple leaf security mark includes “24,” visible only under magnification, to indicate the coin’s year of issue.

Additionally, a privy mark depicting a hand cradling a globe symbolizes the coin’s single-source origin and the coin is further protected by Bullion DNA technology.

The bullion coin is presented in credit card-style packaging, complete with a certificate of purity and authenticity signed by the mint’s chief assayer.

“Agnico Eagle is proud to partner with the Royal Canadian Mint as a trusted source of responsibly produced gold for the Single Mine Gold Maple Leaf coin,” said Ammar Al-Joundi, Agnico Eagle Mines’ president and CEO.

“We remain committed to producing gold that meets the highest standards of responsibility and sustainability.”

Founded in 1957 in northern Ontario, Agnico Eagle has become Canada’s largest gold miner and the world’s third-largest gold producer. The company is recognized globally for its leading environmental, social, and governance practices and is committed to maintaining strong community and Indigenous relationships and supporting local businesses, according to the news release.

This was the second single mine bullion coin made entirely from gold sourced from an Agnico Eagle operation – the first being the Meliadine mine coin in 2022.

Detour Lake Mine is located in northern Ontario’s Abitibi Greenstone Belt and is the largest gold-producing mine in Canada – with mineral reserves of 19.9 million ounces and an expected mine life extending beyond 2054.

The coins are currently available at select Costco stores and online.