Coin Highlights
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Year/Mint: 1988, Royal Canadian Mint (Ottawa).
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Denomination: $5 CAD (legal tender).
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Metal: 1 troy oz (31.1035 g) of .9999 fine silver; reeded edge.
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Size: 38.0 mm diameter, ~3.2 mm thickness.
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Design: QEII “second portrait” by Arnold Machin (obv); single sugar maple leaf by Walter Ott (rev).
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First year of issue for the Silver Maple Leaf series.
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Reported mintage: 1,155,931 (first-year bullion).
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Grade: Brilliant Uncirculated (BU).
Historical Significance
Introduced in 1988, the Silver Maple Leaf set a new purity benchmark at four nines (.9999), positioning Canada to compete directly with the then-dominant American Silver Eagle and helping establish the RCM’s reputation for ultra-pure bullion issues.
