Commemorative $2 Coins for 1972 Summit Series

Summary#

This is an order that lets the Royal Canadian Mint put two special $2 circulation coins into use to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. The order was registered on June 21, 2022 and published in the Canada Gazette on July 6, 2022.

What it does#

• Authorizes two circulation coins of $2 denomination and 28.03 mm diameter.
• Both coins share the same design on the front (obverse) and back (reverse). The obverse shows the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt (with the initials “SB”).
• One version will include colour (red elements) and the other will be produced without colour.
• The reverse design shows two Team Canada hockey players in front of the stylized maple leaf from the 1972 jerseys, and the inscriptions “THE SERIES · LA SÉRIE” and “50 YEARS / ANS”.
• The outer ring includes the word CANADA, the value 2 DOLLARS, the jersey numbers of the 37 team members and the coaches’ initials (“HS” and “JF” for Harry Sinden and John Ferguson), two security marks (maple leaf within a maple leaf), and the artist’s initials JK.
• The coin edge will show the inscriptions CANADA and 2 DOLLARS, with a maple leaf before and after CANADA.

Who's affected#

• Coin collectors and hobbyists. These special coins are often saved rather than spent.
• Hockey fans and people interested in Canadian sports history, especially followers of the 1972 Summit Series and Team Canada '72.
• The Royal Canadian Mint, which will produce the coins at its Winnipeg facility, and financial institutions that will distribute them.
• The following organizations were consulted or indicated support during development: Department of Canadian Heritage, Team Canada '72, Hockey Hall of Fame, Museum of Canadian History, and hockey historian Paul Patskou.
• Most businesses and the general public should see no cost impact from this order.

Why it matters#

• The coins mark a well-known moment in Canadian culture: the dramatic Canadian win in the 1972 Summit Series, an event often seen as part of national identity and hockey history.
• Because commemorative circulation coins are issued at face value and distributed widely, many will be collected and removed from circulation. That can make them sought-after by collectors and fans.
• There is no cost to Canadians for using or receiving these coins in normal transactions. The program is intended to promote Canada’s heritage and raise public awareness of the Series.