PRECIOUS METALS

Mint creates "world-first, pulsating" silver coin

The maple leaf design on the coin appears to expand and contract

Staff reporter

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It said the 99.99% silver coin was engraved with "an array of sub-millimetre-scale mirrors in the shape of a maple leaf".

"With precise dimensions and orientations, these miniature mirrors produce a design that appears to expand and contract with each tilt of the coin," the mint said.

The coin was created by the mint's research and development team, working with the University of Ottawa's Centre for Research in Photonics.

The mint said 3,000 of the 2 ounce coins would be minted.

The coin has a face value of C$10 (US$7.50) and a price of $199.95 (US$150).

The development comes as the silver price hit a three-year high on the spot market today of US$19.41/oz.

The mint  launched other coins this month including its first silver and gold yin-yang coins, with a mintage of 288.

Another coin making headlines recently was the Perth Mint's 1 tonne gold coin, which went on display at the New York Stock Exchange for one day in July as part of the launch of a gold investment product.

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