The World Gold, PGM and Diamond Investment Conference took on a golden glow at the Vancouver Convention Centre yesterday and today. The source was the presence of the World's purest and largest gold coin.

The inspiration for the coin was to promote the release of the one ounce 99.999% pure gold Maple Leaf in May, 2007, the purest gold bullion coin on the market.

From the Royal Canadian Mint press release:

Another first for the RCM and the world: a stunning 100 kg, 99.999% pure gold bullion coin with a $1 million face value. This coin boldly celebrates the technical expertise, craftsmanship and can-do spirit that have always propelled Canada and the RCM to new heights of achievement. In 1982, the RCM was the first Mint in the world to raise the purity of gold bullion coins to 99.99%. 25 years later, it is once again standing out from a crowded field of competitors with a 99.999% gold bullion coin. Once again, the RCM has distinguished itself as the undisputed technical leader, bar none, of the international gold bullion industry.

How the RCM made the World's Purest and Biggest Gold Bullion Coin:

It was not an easy feat - each step along the way was a challenge. Each step required great care, thorough testing and strict process control.

It all started with original artwork checked carefully for detail and accuracy.

Usually the RCM engravers have to focus on keeping intricate details intact when translating original drawings to traditional coins. With the $1 million, 99999 bullion coin, that wasn't the problem. Size meant the design had to be flawless, every detail stood out.

The RCM engravers transferred the artwork from a hand drawing on paper to 3D digital modeling to a master plaster design. This master was then used to create the special cast mould which shaped the coin.

With the mould prepared, they were ready to cast the molten gold as the technologist certified the 99.999 per cent gold purity before and after each cast.

Creating the perfect mould for this exceptional bullion coin required RCM engineering expertise. It was designed so that the molten gold flowed evenly throughout the pour to avoid imperfections. It had to be strong enough to accommodate 100 kg of gold at over 1200 decrees Celsius, yet fragile enough to release the coin when it was cool.

The mould sat in bins surrounded by a special kind of heated sand to provide the best possible casting conditions.

When the gold cooled the RCM specialist removed all of the molten material, leaving the bullion coin in need of some cleaning with the gating system for which the gold was poured still attached.

After a service cleaning, the bullion coin went to the machine shop to remove the excess weight and to machine the circumference to a perfectly shaped circle.

The bullion coin was given a thorough quality inspection - weighed, measured and checked. Even the contours of the maple leaf design were expertly inspected.

Once the bullion coin passed this testing, both coin surfaces were primed by hand prior to the polishing stage.

The result is spectacular: the purest, largest and highest denomination gold bullion coin in the world.

Fortunately, those wanting to own the purest gold bullion coins in the world don't have to buy 100 kilograms at a time. The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced a one-ounce, 99.999% Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin. Crafted with the same quality and precision as its 100-kg sibling, this new one-ounce coin means that every buyer of Canadian gold bullion can once again invest in the best!

To date, 8 of the coins have been purchased.

Newsletter #105
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