SS Keewatin - 2020 Canada 2 oz Pure Silver Coin - Royal Canadian Mint

Five years older than Titanic," SS Keewatin was built in 1907 in Govan, Scotland, in the same Edwardian-era tradition—and with a similar focus on luxury, comfort, and class—as the famous ocean liner.

After crossing the Atlantic, Keewatin entered service in 1908 as part of CPR's Upper Great Lakes fleet. And for more than 50 seasons, her lake route was the two-and-a-half-day run from her home port of Port McNicoll, Ont., to another key CPR terminal, Port Arthur/Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ont. But as freight transportation shifted to planes, trains and automobiles, the "Kee" was focused on transporting tourists as part of the CPR trans-Canada train/boat experience, "The Canadian". She was eventually retired on November 28, 1965.

"The last Edwardian steamer delivered tens of thousands of immigrants, moved troops in both World Wars and introduced tourism to the Canadian North and West. Her design has been praised by Frank Lloyd Wright, immortalized in movies and TV shows, and she still attracts media attention today. Restored to full glory, she is an indisputable Canadian treasure and continues to serve as a living history experience in Port McNicoll, Ont." Eric Conroy: President/CEO, Friends of Keewatin

Doomed to be scrapped, Keewatin was saved when a historian purchased her in 1967 and towed her to Lake Kalamazoo, where she served as a maritime museum. In 2011, the Friends of Keewatin acquired the historic ship, and in 2012, this grand lady came home once more.

Your 2 oz. pure silver coin celebrates the "Kee", a historical Georgian Bay steamship. Order today!

• DUAL-SIDED DESIGN: The obverse shows the reverse design—and SS Keewatin—from a different perspective: the reverse shows the bow while the obverse is a view of the stern.
• BEAUTIFUL ART, FASCINATING HISTORY: An elegant tribute to SS Keewatin, a historic CPR passenger steamship that plied the waters of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior between 1908 and 1965.
• WEALTH OF FINE DETAILS: From the escutcheon (stern) to the raised anchor, this design features a wealth of fine details that may only reveal themselves with repeat viewings.
• DENTICLES FORM A FRAME: Classic denticles form a frame around the portrait of Keewatin on both sides and around the effigy on the obverse.
• AN ELEGANT HOMAGE TO A HISTORIC SHIP: A sea-level perspective emphasizes the imposing size and stately elegance of this historic ship. There's also a sense of movement: by overlapping the frame, Keewatin appears to be steaming into the coin on the obverse and out through the reverse.
• LOW MINTAGE: A low mintage of just 3,000 coins worldwide.
• INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE: The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
• 2 OZ. 99.99% PURE SILVER COIN: No GST/HST.

Design:
The reverse design features a starboard bow view of SS Keewatin in service in the Canadian Pacific Railway Upper Lake fleet between 1908 and 1965. The obverse features the framed effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt beneath the port stern view of Keewatin, as she plies the waters between Port McNicoll, Ont., and Port Arthur/Fort William (present-day Thunder Bay), Ont.

"In designing this coin, I tried to convey a sense of the opulence and romance of travelling on Keewatin in her heyday." Matt Conacher: Artist

• The Keewatin is the sole survivor of the 3,800 steamships built in the Edwardian era (1900-1920).
• She was one of five ships in Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR) Great Lakes Steamship fleet, along with sister ship Assiniboia and Manitoba. The older Alberta and Athabasca were transitioned to freight-only runs by 1916.
• At the time of purchase, CPR knew Keewatin and Assiniboia were too long to pass through the Welland Canal. Both ships were halved near present-day Lévis, Que., before being towed through the locks and reassembled in Buffalo, N.Y.
• Today, Friends of Keewatin are the caretakers of this historical attraction and museum ship. The not-for-profit group is largely comprised of dedicated volunteers who are committed to restoring and preserving the passenger liner.

Packaging:
Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a black beauty box.

Order today!