Canada 2015 $20 70th Anniversary of the End of the Italian Campaign Limited Edition 1 oz. Pure Silver Coin

SKU# OK144042E

Canada 2015 $20 70th Anniversary of the End of the Italian Campaign Limited Edition 1 oz. Pure Silver Coin

NEW! Features a diorama case that recreates a battle-ravaged Italian village!

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Specifications

Composition - silver (99.99% pure)

Finish - proof

Weight (g) - 31.39 (1 troy ounce)

Diameter (mm) - 38

Edge - serrated

Certificate - serialized (serial numbers will vary)

Face value - 20 dollars (a legal tender Canadian coin)

Artists - Joel Kimmel (reverse), T. H. Paget (obverse)

Description

The Italian Campaign was Canada's first full-scale ground operation of the Second World War.  By the summer of 1943, the Allies were revitalized by victories in North Africa and were seeking to open up a second battlefront by invading Germany's Axis ally, Italy.  On the morning of July 10, 1943, Canada joined its allies in the planned invasion of Sicily; in September, they began their slow crawl up the mountainous Italian peninsula.  Although the Allies would ultimately be victorious, the 20-month operation proved to be a bitterly fought campaign against occupying Nazi forces who fiercely defended their hold at every turn.  On the 70th anniversary of this strategic operation, the Royal Canadian Mint honors Canada's veterans of this Second World War campaign with a fine silver coin that offers a glimpse of the realities of the war in places such as Ortona, Cassino and Rimini.

Special features:

• A FIRST! UNIQUE DIORAMA! Unique packaging features a diorama case that recreates a battle-ravaged Italian village and difficult fighting conditions that Canadians encountered during the bitterly fought Italian Campaign.
• The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T. H. Paget.
• Crafted from 99.99% pure silver, this coin commemorates the 70th anniversary of the end of the Italian Campaign.
• This coin marks Canada's first large-scale ground operation of the Second World War and Canadians faced fierce fighting in areas such as Ortona, where they were forced to use the tactic of mouse-holing (breaking through inside walls to access adjoining buildings) to avoid enemy sniper fire out in the streets.
• Internationally renowned craftsmanship and exceptional engraving bring to life the finely detailed image of a Canadian tank and soldiers moving through the rubble-filled streets.
• A beautiful collectible for commemorators, and a prestigious addition to any Canadian military- or history-themed collection.
• For our Canadian customers, this coin is GST/HST exempt.

About the Design:

Designed by Canadian illustrator Joel Kimmel, your coin recreates the sense of danger and the fierce fighting that awaited Canadian soldiers in the narrow streets of Italian towns such as Ortona during the winter of 1943. In the background, the crumbling remnants of stone buildings are indicative of the sheer destruction caused by combat that was often fought in close quarters. In the centre, a Canadian Sherman tank rumbles through the rubble-filled streets, causing dust to fill the air behind it. The tank is flanked by two Canadian soldiers who, despite the risk of sniper fire and landmines, bravely move along the streets as they clear the town and search for survivors.

Did you know…

•  Canadians played an active role in the Italian Campaign from its very beginning.

• The 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade joined nearly 3,000 Allied ships and landing craft for the launch of "Operation Husky" in Sicily.
• The successful invasion of Sicily contributed to the downfall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
• In August 1943, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Canada's prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, in Québec where they discussed the upcoming invasion of the Italian mainland. The conference was nicknamed "Quadrant."
• In 1944, following the arrival of the 5th Canadian Armored Division in theatre, Canada's forces in Italy were re-organized into the 1st Canadian Corps; they were instrumental in piercing through the enemy's fortified Hitler Line and Gothic Line before being transferred to Northwestern Europe in 1945.  
• The Victoria Cross was awarded to three members of the Canadian Army for their actions during the Italian Campaign.
• The Italian Campaign was Canada's first full-scale ground operation in the Second World War. More than 92,000 Canadians played a vital role throughout the campaign - but at a cost of 26,000 casualties, including nearly 6,000 deaths.

Packaging:

Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded diorama case protected by a graphic beauty box.

Shipping & Handling

Fast, free shipping to all U.S. addresses via USPS First Class Mail.  USPS Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express are also available for an additional charge.