Oscar Peterson $1 Commemorative Coins

Summary#

The Order Authorizing the Issue of Two One-dollar Commemorative Circulation Coins Specifying the Characteristics and Determining the Designs (Oscar Peterson) approves two $1 circulation coins featuring Oscar Peterson. It was published in the Canada Gazette on July 6, 2022 and lets the Royal Canadian Mint produce a coloured version and a non‑coloured version of the same design.

What it does#

• Authorizes the minting of two types of $1 circulation coins (one coloured, one not coloured) with a diameter of 26.5 mm.
• Sets the obverse (front) design to show the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt with the usual inscriptions and the year 2022.
• Sets the reverse (back) design to show a portrait of Oscar Peterson at the piano, the piano he is playing, and a musical staff with the notes and chord symbols for two bars of his song “Hymn to Freedom.”
• Adds security and artistic details: the word “CANADA” at the top, a security mark (a maple leaf within a maple leaf within a circle), the name “OSCAR PETERSON,” artist initials “VD,” and the word “DOLLAR” at the bottom.
• Distinguishes the coloured version by two purple blocks around the security mark and coloured elements layered over a patterned background; the non‑coloured version has the same composition without the purple colour.
• Notes that the Mint consulted stakeholders and ran market research with 2,513 respondents, of whom 93% found the design appealing.

Who's affected#

• Everyday users of cash and businesses that handle coins, because the coins will enter normal circulation.
• Coin collectors and numismatists who follow commemorative releases.
• Financial institutions that will distribute the new coins and the Royal Canadian Mint, which will produce them (Winnipeg facility named for production).
• Cultural organizations and the Estate of Oscar Peterson, which were consulted and supported the design.
• No new costs or regulatory burdens are expected for the public or businesses, according to the Mint.

Why it matters#

• The coins celebrate the life and work of Oscar Peterson, a major Canadian jazz pianist and composer. They put his music and story into everyday circulation money.
• According to the Mint, this release would make him the first Black person to appear on a Canadian circulation coin, a notable step for representation on national currency.
• As commemorative circulation coins are collectible, many will be saved rather than spent. That raises public interest in Canadian culture and can make the coins sought‑after by collectors.