The Royal Canadian Mint Makes a Splash With a Coin Illustrating Canada's Famous UFO Crash Story

OTTAWA (ONTARIO), October 1, 2019 – The Mint's newest glow-in-the-dark collector coin tells the story of a unique and mysterious event that made the small village of Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia, an attraction for believers in paranormal phenomena. The coin vividly illustrates Canada's best-documented account of what some claim to be the crash of an unidentified flying object on October 4, 1967

Over 50 years ago, residents of the small fishing village reported seeing four flashing lights in the night sky. According to them, a strange object flew over the sky at a low altitude before suddenly tilting at 45 degrees and crashing into the water. It is precisely this scene, as described by eyewitnesses, that appears on an exciting new collectible released today.

"Wanting to find the perfect moment for this coin, I began by reading all the different eyewitness accounts: the pilots spotting lights over their wing, the fisherman who sailed out to offer aid, the local teens on the shore," explains Pandora Young, the Canadian artist who designed the coin. "I was also struck by how exciting it must have felt to share this experience with others, and we wanted to capture that sense of awe and adventure!"

Through this coin, the Royal Canadian Mint highlights the enigmatic story that turned Canadians' attention to Shag Harbour. The unique shape and technology of the coin bring to life the scene that stunned villagers so many years ago. In fact, the black light flashlight included with the coin illuminates glow-in-the-dark elements, which add a sci-fi-worthy touch to this real life story.

The rectangular $20 Fine Silver Coin - Canada's Unexplained Phenomena: The Shag Harbour Incident has a limited mintage of 4,000 and retails for $129.95. A limited number will be on sale at the annual Shag Harbour UFO Festival, starting October 4, 2019, where the Mint will also hold a contest to win free Shag Harbour Incident coins. 

While quantities last, the coin can also be ordered from the Mint at 1-800-267‑1871 in Canada, 1-800-268‑6468 in the US, or at www.mint.ca. It is also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

Images of this coin are available here.

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 recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

For more information, please contact:

Alex Reeves
Senior Manager, Public Affairs
Royal Canadian Mint
Tel. (613) 884-6370
reeves@mint.ca