2004 – 25 Cents Quarter Canada – Poppy – P

The 2004 Canadian 25-cent P poppy coin is notably the world’s first coloured circulation coin, issued by the Royal Canadian Mint to honor Remembrance Day and commemorate the sacrifice of Canadian war veterans. It features a red poppy stamped on the reverse with pressurized ink and an innovative fluorescent security coating to preserve the color, set in the middle of a maple leaf. The obverse displays an uncrowned bust of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Susanna Blunt, while the reverse poppy design is by Cosme Saffioti. The coin is made from copper-plated steel (94% steel, 3.8% copper, 2.2% nickel), weighs 4.4 grams, and has a diameter of 23.88 mm with a reeded edge. About 28.97 million of these coins were circulated in 2004, each inscribed with “CANADA 2004 REMEMBER SOUVENIR” around the poppy design.