Canada: Annual Silver Dollar Commemorative Honours Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Released every year since 1971, the commemorative silver dollar is a cornerstone of many Canadian coin collections, honouring various national events and historic occasions. 2025 marks the 25ᵗʰ anniversary of the completion of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario. In the heart of Canada’s capital lies the final resting place of an unidentified Canadian soldier from the First World War, one of the more than 120,000 Canadian servicemen who have lost their lives in the cause of peace over the years. Though we do not know his name, the Unknown Soldier represents all fallen Canadians, as well as the many sides of war - tragedy and sacrifice, honour and victory, but above all, unity in Canada’s desire for peace and freedom. Randomly selected from among the many unknown Canadian soldiers buried near the First World War battlefield of Vimy Ridge in France, the Unknown Soldier’s remains were exhumed from the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in the French commune of Souchez.

Following a ceremony at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial on the 25th May 2000, the casket containing the remains was flown to Ottawa, where the soldier lay in state for three days in the Hall of Honour on Parliament Hill before being laid to rest in a nationally televised ceremony on the 28th May. Since Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949, the remains of an unknown Newfoundland First World War soldier were repatriated in 2024. This fallen serviceman was reinterred at the National War Memorial in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on the 1st July - the anniversary of the Newfoundland Regiment’s advance at Beaumont-Hamel during the Battle of the Somme. Since its completion in 2000, the dark granite sarcophagus has served as the focal point of commemoration on Armistice Day, remembering those fallen in the Great War of 1914 to 1918.

Designed by Canadian artist Pandora Young, the 2025 Proof Dollar’s reverse presents a circular interpretation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario. The three rings allude to the sarcophagus’s three-tiered construction in dark Caledonia granite, as depicted in the centre of the design, while the Tomb’s four base corner pieces - three replicas of the Memorial Silver Cross, each bearing the Royal Cypher of a different ruling monarch from George V, George VI and Elizabeth II since the award’s inception in 1919, plus a replica of a poppy—are artfully positioned around the edge, ultimately forming a more circular interpretation to help frame the top-down view. The Tomb’s bronze overlay is also re-created, with branches of maple and laurel leaves wrapped around a medieval sword and First World War-era helmet. To the left of the sword’s handle is the year of the coin’s release, 2025. These are surrounded by roses and poppies shown at the 11 o’clock position that have been laid in commemoration of those who selflessly gave their all while serving their country. Above the primary design and along the upper rim is the text CANADA and DOLLAR. The obverse side includes the effigy of HM King Charles III which is the work of Canadian artist Steven Rosati and depicts the King facing to the left surrounded by the legend CHARLES III D G REX. For the silver proof coin included in the annual set, selective yellow gold plating is applied to the three memorial crosses and the poppy shown near the lower rim and the rim on the coin’s reverse. The effigy of HM King Charles III and the rim is also selectively gold-plated.

The proof set contains each currently circulating coin from 5 cents to 2 dollars and the pure silver commemorative dollar which are encased in a sealed lucite frame presented in a book-style format bound in genuine leather. The single dollar coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. The selectively plated yellow-gold proof dollar is only available as part of the proof set. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Royal Canadian Mint.