Collectibles Royal Canadian Mint 2019 historical stamp coat of arms in original box

Third and final coin in our tribute to Canada's classic stamps! Order today!

Beyond history-themed pictorials and portraits, Canada's philatelic history can also provide a senseof the nation's mindset at a key moment in time. Such is the case with this uniquely shaped reproduction of a vintage stamp, which is forever preserved in 99.99% pure silver. The third (and final) instalment in our limited tribute to philately, your stamp-shaped coin takes a special look at Canada in 1942—a time when a proud nation had dedicated its resources to support an Allied victory in the Second WorldWar. 

Design:

Engraved on your stamp-shaped coin is a detailed reproduction of a Canadian special delivery stamp issued on July 1, 1942, to highlight Canada's involvement in the Allied cause during the SecondWorld War. The 10-cent denomination stamp was designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz and originally engraved by Silas Robert Allen, as evidenced by the horizontal lines that are indicative of traditional intaglio printing or line engraving. The pictorial collagefeatures the former Arms of Canada within a shield atop a bough of maple leaves, and flanked by four flags that represent Canada's different military contributions. An application of modern colour mimics the deep bright green colour of the original issue, which had an inscribed denomination of “10 CENTS”. The obverse features the effigyof Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

The 1942-43 War Effort Issue
On July 1, 1942, the Post Office Department ofCanada introduced the War issue: a series of patriotic-themed stamps that highlighted the nation'scontributions to the Allied war effort, both at home and abroad. The special delivery stamp re-created on the coin's reverse features a collage of emblematic images that reflect pride in Canada's military contributions—from the flag of the Royal Canadian Air Force to the stylized version of the Arms of Canada. By the fall of 1946, 3,276,404 of these stamps had been printed at the Canadian Bank Note Company's facility in Ottawa where some of Canada's postage stamps are still produced today.

Did you know…

• Issued between 1898 and 1946, Canada's special delivery stamps were used for express mail delivery (similar to Canada Post's Xpresspost today). 
• Canada's final special delivery stamp (1946) was a peacetime version of this design. It featured a different-shaped shield, while laurel boughsreplaced the flags.