It all began in 1968 when Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad and his wife, archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad, discovered a small bronze cloak pin and the remnants of a Viking encampment on the shores of EpavesBay. Subsequent excavations, led by Dr. Bengt Schönbäck and Dr. Birgitta Wallace, uncovered hundreds of Norse artefacts and clarified L'Anse aux Meadows' place in the Vinland sagas. The eight timber-framed turf structures (three dwellings, one iron forge and four workshops) were built in the same11th century style as those found in Greenland and Iceland. Evidence of activities indicate the location served as a base camp for further exploration south, which seemingly confirmed the journeys described in the Old Norse Sagas. In 1975, the archaeological site was established as a National Historic Siteof Canada before being declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

"The archaeological discoveries at L'Anse aux Meadows allowed us to connect the Vikingsto Newfoundland and Vinland to Canada." Dr. Birgitta Wallace : Archaeologist

A gorgeous 1/2 kilogram coin addition to your Canadian historicalcollection. Order today.

• A TIME-TRAVELLING DESIGN: Dive into early Canadian history with a time-travelling design that takes you back 1000 years ago, when the Vikings briefly settled on our shores.
• HIGHLIGHTS A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE: In honour of UNESCO's 75th anniversary, this meticulously engraved coin honours the history uncovered at Canada's L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, which was named the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
• A PIECE OF FINE ART: From its depiction of Leif Eriksson to the runic font, this premium collector piece shows you what wedo best: exquisite artistry and exceptional craftsmanship.
• INCLUDES SELECTIVE GOLD PLATING: Selective gold plating colours the ornamental flourishesinspired by Norse art and traditional wood carvings.
• LARGE SIZE: Crafted from 99.99% pure silver, the coin's 85 mm diameter allows ample room for a highly detailed historical design.
• LOW MINTAGE: Just 300 of these coins are available worldwide.
• FOR HISTORY AND ART LOVERS: The stunning design is sure to please both art and history enthusiasts!
• INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE: The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
• HALF KILOGRAM 99.99% PURE SILVER COIN: NO GST/HST.

Design:
Designed by artist Rebecca Yanovskaya, the time-travelling reverse offers an artist's rendition of the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Norse explorer Leif Erikson stands inthe foreground, where he observes the activities ofhis crew and proudly surveys the settlement he founded around the year 1000. Selective gold plating highlights the ornamental flourishes, which are inspired by Norse art and wood carvings. The word "CANADA" is inscribed in a runic font along with the double dates "1945 – 2020" which flank the UNESCO logo to commemorate its 75th anniversary. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

"I wanted to show as much of the scene as I could—from the expedition's arrival to their settling, and finally to their stampingof the land with the name Vinland. The scope of their achievement for the time is incredible. It was also important for me to include Leif Erikson because he, of all the settlers, most embodied the spirit of the expedition. I designed his pose to be magnanimous yet in control, alert but at rest, strong buthumble. It was an honour to depict these discoverers of North America. It's a history forgotten or unknown by many." Rebecca Yanovskaya: Artist

• In 1978, L'Anse aux Meadows became one of the first 12 places inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Today, UNESCO preserves more than 1,000 World Heritage Sites in 167 countries.
• The encampment at L'Anse aux Meadows likely corresponds to Straumfjord ("Fjord of Currents"), a settlement in northern Vinland, as described in the Saga of Erik the Red.
• Even though L'Anse aux Meadows was a short-lived encampment, the Vikings weren't the first to occupy the site. Artefacts have been traced back to several different groups including theDorset Paleo-Inuit, who preceded the Vikings by about 200 years.
• Leif Erikson's voyages to Vinland (tentatively assumed to be Newfoundland) were described in two Icelandic Sagas: The Saga of Erik the Red (Erik the Red was Leif'sfather) and The Saga of the Greenlanders. They were written in the 13th or 14th centuries and are based on stories preserved by the Icelandic oral tradition. The two sagas provide different accounts of Leif's voyage to Vinland, but both credit him as one of the first Europeans to set foot on our shores.

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

Order your coin today!