2016 $5 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT FINE SILVER COIN
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DESCRIPTION
The reverse of this unique concave coin lends a level of dimension and depth. It features a viewing perspective from the base of the marble statue of Queen Victoria, conveying the reading room’s soaring height and spaciousness creating the impression that the viewer is looking upward at the ceiling. The carved bookshelves that encircle the reading room are replicated along the rim of the coin. The antique finish and ultra high relief engraving showcases its artistry.
The reverse also features a banner with the commemorative dates “1867-2016”, and engraved word “CANADA”. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
The Library Building:
The Library building, designed in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style by Thomas Fuller and Chilion Jones, opened in 1876. Its circular shape and the use of galleries and alcoves were the inspiration of the first Parliamentary Librarian, Alpheus Todd. He recommended that the building be “spacious and lofty” and advised that it be separated from the Centre Block by a corridor to protect it from fire.
Fire destroyed most of the Centre Block on February 3, 1916, but the Library’s iron doors isolated it from the blaze. In 1952, a fire broke out in the cupola of the Library itself, causing extensive smoke and water damage. The Library’s wood panelling had to be dismantled, sent to Montréal for cleaning and fireproofing, and reinstalled. A replica of the intricate parquet floor was re-laid in cherry, oak and walnut.
ITEM SPECIFACTIONS
Item Number: 149592
Mintage: 6,000
Composition: 99.99% pure silver
Weight: 23.17 g
Diameter: 36 mm
Face Value: $20
Finish: Proof
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse: Library of Parliament
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