2024 1oz $20 COMMEMORATING BLACK HISTORY: AMBER VALLEY FINE SILVER COIN

They headed north to Canada, lured by the promise of land and guided by the hope of a better life free from racial violence. Arriving in Amber Valley (formerly Pine Creek), Alberta, the Black settlers worked hard to establish a thriving community, some 300 people strong, blazing a trail as they went and building a rich legacy through their achievements.

The 2024 Commemorating Black History coin brings to life an often-overlooked story from Canada’s immigration history. Its finely engraved reverse captures the spirit of Amber Valley—one of the largest Black settlements in western Canada during the early 20th century—and honours the Black pioneers who persevered through hardships and hostility, facing down discrimination and building up a foundation for future generations.

Honouring Amber Valley’s place in Canadian history.

Remembering Amber Valley

Most of those who settled in Amber Valley sought to escape escalating racial violence and segregation in the southern United States. Seizing on the Canadian government’s promises of cheap land, founding families made the trek north in 1910, crossing the border and boarding a train bound for Edmonton, then travelling by wagon train to Pine Creek, where they set out to convert the land and build a community from the ground up.

The first wave of Black settlers endured harsh weather, long days of clearing land that had been rejected by European homesteaders, and racial hostilities that led to the active discouragement of Black immigration to Canada by 1912. Still, the residents of Pine Creek—re-named Amber Valley in 1931—persevered and Canada’s northernmost all-Black community thrived, its population peaking at 300 residents.

The bustling community gradually went into decline after the Second World War, as residents moved to larger urban centres to find work. Its school closed in the 1950s and the post office was shut down in 1968; today, only a few weathered buildings remain, but the memory and spirit of Amber Valley endure.

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Highly intricate design

From the ornamental flourishes to the representation of some of Amber Valley’s earliest buildings, every engraved detail has historical meaning.

The focus is on history

To keep the focus on the Amber Valley community, the only word engraved on the reverse is “CANADA”—the date and face value are inscribed on the obverse.

Maple leaf pattern

As with previous Commemorating Black History coins, the 2024 edition features a symbol of Canada on its obverse, where the maple leaf forms a repeating pattern that fills the field.

 

Specifications

 

Product Number246156

Mintage5,500

Composition99.99% pure silver

Weight31.39 g

Diameter38 mm

EdgeSerrated

Face Value$20

FinishProof

PackagingBlack clamshell with black beauty box

ArtistValentine De Landro (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)