The Royal Canadian Mint Wins Two Coin Awards at the 2025 Mint Directors Conference (MDC)

The Royal Canadian Mint is delighted to have twice earned global recognition for its coin manufacturing excellence and innovation

The Royal Canadian Mint has announced that it has won two prestigious Coin Awards at the 2025 Mint Directors Conference (MDC). The Mint’s 2024 $50 Pure Silver Coin – Year of the Dragon was recognized as the Best Commemorative Silver Coin, while its partnership with the Department of Chemistry at Montreal’s McGill University to develop a more environmentally responsible gold refining process earned the Best Collaboration coin award.

The 2025 MDC, host of the Coin Awards, brought together mint directors and executives from around the globe to celebrate excellence in the industry. A panel of judges from the major minting nations selected the best new coin and partnership in an open competition.

"The Royal Canadian Mint is passionate about innovating to keep demonstrating the excellence and artistry of our world-famous coin products, as well as the sustainability of our processes," said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "To be recognized in two award categories by the Mint Directors Conference judges is a tremendous peer endorsement of our commitment to finding new ways to delight our customers while finding more caring and sustainable ways to continue leading the global minting community."

Designed by Canadian artist Simon Ng, our award-winning pure silver coin celebrates the Year of the Dragon through an elaborate Extraordinarily High Relief (EHR) engraving of a dragon, the fifth sign in the Chinese Zodiac. Framed by a laser-engraved pattern that represents the dragon's element of wood, the dragon is shown moving among the clouds of a night sky illuminated by the moon, its tail coiled to form the shape of lucky number 8. A rear view of that same scene is rendered in EHR on the obverse. Above the obverse engraving appears the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, accompanied by a special device of four pearls symbolizing her four different effigies to have graced Canadian coins, as well as the double date of her reign.

The goal of the Mint’s work with McGill University was to transform gold refining by replacing the longstanding Miller Chlorination process, which relies on the injection of chlorine gas to separate impurities from molten gold. Our collaboration has, at a lab scale, resulted in a process that virtually eliminates chlorine gas by introducing an acoustic mechanochemical process to catalyze a chemical reaction with a mild reagent. The process, which yields pure gold in soluble form is non-toxic and less energy-intensive, and is safer for people and the environment.

This innovation builds on previous work done by the Mint in 2019 to reduce chlorine use in its gold refining operations. At that time, the Mint introduced acid-less separation (ALS) technology, that reduced the use of chlorine gas by more than 50% in the Ottawa refinery.

About the Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. The Mint is one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, producing award-winning collector coins, market-leading bullion products, as well as Canada’s prestigious military and civilian honours. As an established London and COMEX Good Delivery refiner, the Mint also offers a full spectrum of best-in-class gold and silver refining services. As an organization that strives to take better care of the environment, to cultivate safe and inclusive workplaces and to make a positive impact on the communities where it operates, the Mint integrates environmental, social and governance practices in every aspect of its operations.