Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Bullion Coin

Fineness: .9999 Actual Gold Content: 1.0 troy ounce (31.103 grams)
Diameter: 30 mm Face value: $50
Also minted in 1/2, 1/4, 1/10 ounce sizes

The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is the official bullion gold coin of Canada and is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint. The brainchild of Walter Ott, it is one of the purest gold coins of regular issue in the world, with a gold content of .9999 millesimal fineness (24 carats), with some special issues .99999 fine. That is, it contains virtually no base metals at all – only gold exclusively from gold mines in Canada.

Canada’s gold Maple Leafs are popular the world over, particularly in India and the Far East where pure gold is the most accepted and familiar form of gold bullion, even in small weights. Gold Maples are also a favorite with jewelers everywhere, because pure gold bullion is easily alloyed to produce the desired color and hardness.

Canadian gold Maple Leafs were first produced in 1979, during one of the wildest years in gold trading of the 20th Century. At that time, the only one ounce gold bullion coin available was the Krugerrand, struck in South Africa in the traditional 22-karat gold purity typical of coinage throughout history. Canadian Maple Leafs pioneered the concept of gold coins without alloy – just a round disc of 99.9% pure gold that doesn't need the strengthening of an alloy, because the coin will never circulate or be handled. It was an immediate success, and by the early 1980’s was actually outselling the Krugerrand, which had been the only one ounce gold bullion coin available since its debut in 1967.

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