Comments about Royal Canadian Mint Fine Silver Kilogram Coin - Maple Leaf Forever (2011):

I just picked this up today in a sealed rcm box from my local coin shop. I'm very happy to have it, but was very disappointed in the edge quality. There are many scrapes and imperfections on the edges. This is my first kilo coin, but I fear that if this is the quality level, it will be my last. I will stick to the smaller coins. I have always found the quality near flawless before this coin.

Comments about Royal Canadian Mint Fine Silver Kilogram Coin - Maple Leaf Forever (2011):

I got two of these coin for keeps.

Comments about Royal Canadian Mint Fine Silver Kilogram Coin - Maple Leaf Forever (2011):

My first reaction upon seeing this coin was "WOOOWWWW!!!"

The maple leaves featured on the reverse of the coin appear almost 3-dimensional and reflect off the highly polished planchet's surface. Their design is at once familiar and iconic: it has been used on many RCM coins over the past 100 years and is as timeless as it is emblematic of Canada. My coin is flawless, which speaks well of the quality control and superior production processes used by the RCM.

The obverse of the coin features Susanna Blount's portrait of the Queen, which, while nicely done, fails to utilize the large surface area of this coin. Some room for improvement here, although the Mint may be constrained by Canadian law (so change the law).

I'm a bit disappointed that the coin's edges are plain, without any lettering or serrating. The US Mint's America the Beautiful series 5-oz coins have edge lettering, which, while difficult to do, add to the numismatic value of that product. It would be nice to see the RCM place something on the edge of future kilo coins.

Some have commented on the cost of this coin. Well, no, it's not inexpensive. But, consider that silver is ~ $39 US/oz. Also, this is a proof coin, not specimen finish, as used by the US Mint on the ATB series coins. Finally, consider the limited mintage. All in all, it's priced fairly.

The packaging is also worth commenting on. I have all of the previous RCM-minted silver kilos and the packaging used for this coin is vastly improved. Whereas previous kilos were placed in a ho-hum leatherette clamshell case, this coin came in a beautiful maple wood presentation case that is perfect for the theme of the coin and is a signature type of packaging that should be used on all of the RCM's high-value coins. It REALLY looks good. The external sleeve that protects the maple box is also redesigned with a new logo emblazoned with Canada's iconic red maple leaf. Kudos to the RCM for producing a simple, yet beautifully done, job on the packaging. Finally, a coin whose packaging is at least as good as that used by the Royal Australian and Perth Mints, my standard for the best in the world. This coin really does demonstrate how less can be a lot, lot more!

Overall, I'm ecstatic about this coin and what it says about the abilities of the RCM's artists, production processes and future of Canadian coin designs.

Comments about Royal Canadian Mint Fine Silver Kilogram Coin - Maple Leaf Forever (2011):

The coin's only flaw is its edge. Its plain. As said in another review, a serrated edge would have been much better.

Comments about Royal Canadian Mint Fine Silver Kilogram Coin - Maple Leaf Forever (2011):

Serrated edge would have been much better