“Hard fighting would follow for those who landed on 6 June, but by the end of the month the soldiers of 3rd Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade had beaten off the German armour which threatened to penetrate the Mue Valley and reach the ChannelCoast. They were now veterans.” The Expert: Dr. Stephen Harris, CD, PhD, Directorate of History and Heritage, Canadian Armed Forces

It began on Juno Beach, and it continued at Buron, Autie, Carpiquet, Caen, Falaise. The D-Day landings of June6, 1944, were a success. But the costly path to victory in Normandy would take Canada’s troops through towns and villages, where they became embroiled in a battle of attrition against some of the enemy’s best troops: the elite Panzer divisions. Steeled by combat experience, the wary soldierfrom the 2019 Proof Dollar is now the image of steely resolve on this 1 oz. pure silver coin. The latest instalment in our Second World War: Battlefront Series commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Campaign (June 6-August 30, 1944). While your coin shows Canadian troops advancing beyond the beaches, D-Day and the beginning of the Liberation of Western Europe are represented by sound waves that stand in for the “V” for “Victory” radio signal.

Commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Campaign with this poignant coin. Order today.

• SEVENTH COIN IN SERIES: Your coin is the seventh in our Second World War Battlefront Series, which chronicles Canada's participation in key battles of the Second World War.
• A SALUTE TO THE CANADIANS WHO SOLDIERED ON: Your 1 oz. pure silver commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Campaign (June 6-August 30, 1944).
• A SOLDIER’S STORY CONTINUES: The infantry soldier’s story began on the 2019 Proof Dollar and it continues on this coin’s reverse. It is part of a yearlongjourney of remembrance that concludes with an ultra-high relief coin…
• THE SOUND OF VICTORY: Since D-Day marked the start of the Normandy Campaign and the Liberation of Western Europe, the air is filled with sound waves that represent “V” for “Victory” in Morse code.
• HISTORICAL OBVERSE: Just like previous Second World War coins, the obverse features the period-appropriate effigy of King George VI.
• COMPLETE THE SERIES TO GET EACH PIECE OF THE PUZZLE: Like previous Second World War: Battlefront Series coins, this finely engraved piece comes enclosed in a clamshell box within a custom beauty box. When placed spine to spine, the beautyboxes for each coin in the series form a timeline of Canada’s military role in the Second World War.
• INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE: The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
• 1 OZ. PURE SILVER: Your coin is crafted from 99.99% pure silver!
• LIMITED WORLDWIDE MINTAGE: Only 7,500 coins will be made available worldwide.
• NO GST/HST!

Designed by Brad Anderson, the reverse finds a Canadian infantry soldier advancing during the Normandy Campaign (June 6-August 30, 1944). He is flanked by an LCA carrier used at Juno Beach, and a Sherman III D-Drive tank that symbolizes Canada’s armoureddivisions. To mark the beginning of the Liberation of Western Europe, the air is filled with the “sound” of victory ringing out in the form of sound waves, which represent “V” for “Victory” in Morse code—a nod to D-Day radio broadcasts. The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T. H. Paget.

It marked the opening of a Second Front and the beginning of the Liberation of Western Europe. But if the D-Day landings caught the enemy unawares, the push inland brought Canadians face to face with the backbone of the enemy fighting force.

Moving through the Mue and Orne river valleys, the 3rd Canadian Division and 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade foughtto protect the beachhead and prevent a counter-offensive, but their advance was stalled by the enemy’s armoured reserves.

The Canadian spearhead suffered heavy losses at Buron and Authie, where it first encountered the 12th SS Panzer Division; and it was forced to retreat from Putot-en-Bassin before recapturing it. On 11-12 June, Canadian and British units were able to push the Germans out of the town of Rots, but the Canadian attackon Le Mesnil-Patry was repulsed with heavy losses. Although they continued to fight forward, that was the last major attack that month.

With the bridgehead finally secure, in July 2nd Canadian Infantry Division and 4th Canadian Armoured Division joined the fray as 21 Army Group clawed its way forward.  There was heavy fighting for Caen, on the approaches to Falaise, and in the final battles that trapped what remained of the enemy forces in Normandy and opened the way to the Seine.  Total casualties between D Day and 23 August numbered 18,444, ofwhich 5,021 were fatal.

• For Canada, July 25, 1944, was one of the bloodiest days of theSecond World War. The Canadian advance on the town of Verrières was met with fierce resistance, resulting in more than 1,500 casualties—more single-day losses than any other operation, save the Dieppe Raid.
• German Panther and Tiger tanks outmatched Sherman tanks.A higher profile made the Sherman an easy target; once hit, the gas-powered Sherman easily exploded into flames. Another deadly weapon? The 88-mm flake 36,a modified anti-aircraft gun that destroyed tanks.
• The battle for Caen proved to be more deadly than the D-Day landings. By July 9, the Canadians had finally captured the city and cleared it of snipers and mines, but at the cost of 1,194 casualties.

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

Each coin is packaged in a custom graphic beauty box that is unique to the series: collect each coin and place the boxes spine to spine to see a timeline of Canada in combat during the Second World War.