2018 $20 The Battle of the Atlantic Fine Silver Coin

Pay tribute to the brave Canadians who fought in the Battle of the Atlantic to pave the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. This 2018 $20 coin reflects on the 75th anniversary of a pivotal year, 1943, which marked a turning point in the deadly struggle to maintain transatlantic shipping during the Second World War. The coin highlights Canada's prominent role in the Battle of the Atlantic, but also reminds us of the courage of all who braved untold dangers onboard Canadian ships and aircraft in the Atlantic between 1939 and 1945. This fifth coin in the Second World War: Battlefront series continues with a first-person perspective that places the viewer at the heart of the action-this time, with a view above water and a glimpse of the danger that lurks below. Mintage is limited to just 7,500 coins. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.

The reverse design by Canadian artist Neil Hamelin captures the intensity of the Battle of the Atlantic and conveys a real sense of the dangers faced by those who sailed the seas between 1939 and 1945. Split between an above-water and an underwater perspective, the ominous scene re-creates the moments before the tragic sinking of HMCS St. Croix on September 20, 1943. In the skies overhead, an angled B-24 Liberator is representative of the Very Long Range (VLR) anti-submarine aircraft that provided air support and helped turn the tide of war in the mid-Atlantic. Bearing the markings of Royal Canadian Air Force Squadron 10, the aircraft patrols the waters south of Greenland and Iceland, where it has signalled the presence of a U-boat to the St. Croix. From beneath the rolling waves, U-305 surfaces to periscope depth and spies the St. Croix sailing towards them bow, a trail of smoke emitted by the aft exhaust stacks. The Royal Canadian Navy destroyer has pulled away from escorting the ONS-18/ON-202 convoy to investigate the potential threat; but the U-305 would waste little time in firing GNAT torpedoes that would strike the St. Croix's aft, and another later on that would cause the ship to sink in just three minutes. Sadly, from a complement of 143 crewmembers and 10 officers, 81 survivors of St. Croix were rescued by HMC Itchen, which was itself sunk by a U-boat just three days later. The reverse includes the engraved words "The Battle of the Atlantic - La Bataille de L'Atlantique," the commemorative dates "1939–1945," the word "Canada" and the year of issue, "2018." The obverse features the effigy of King George VI by T. H. Paget.

The Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)
Throughout the Battle of the Atlantic, Canada and its rapidly expanding fleet of aircraft and ships were on the frontlines, shepherding vital convoys through waters fraught with danger from above and below. After periods of devastating losses, an Allied offensive in May 1943 dealt a significant blow to the U-boat fleet in the North Atlantic.

A series of factors helped turn the tide of the battle. British intelligence, which had already cracked the Germans' Enigma Code, made even further advances in this field, allowing the Allies to better track German communications and U-boat movements. New long-range aircraft were also developed that allowed for full aerial coverage of the Atlantic. Britain's Royal Navy undertook more aggressive tactics against the U-boats, forming elite hunter groups of its best anti-submarine ships to prowl the ocean searching for submarines and to aid convoys under attack.

With British ships now on the offensive, Canada expanded its escort duties and sent ships to help protect British ports. The new combined tactics worked. In 1943, U-boats managed to sink fewer than 300 merchant ships, a quarter of the number from the year before, and most of those came in the first few months of 1943. With German U-boat losses skyrocketing, the Germans scaled back their campaign for several months.

Canada's navy, bolstered by the delivery of new, faster and more powerful frigates, formed its own hunter groups. Between November 1943 and the spring of 1944, Canadian ships sank eight U-boats.

• Mintage: 7,500
• Diameter: 38 mm
• Weight: 1 oz fine silver
• GST/HST exempt

Includes:
• 2018 $20 The Battle of the Atlantic Fine Silver Coin

Warranty Information:
This product comes with a 30-day return policy through TSC.