Gold Coin Alexander Mackenzie 2017 Proof

"Great Explorers" series - Alexander Mackenzie - 2017

Exclusive gold coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2017 in top quality proof in purity of the purest 99.99% gold. This coin is the last of six coins issued in the Great Explorers series from 2012 to 2017.

The coin depicts on its reverse the expedition of Alexander Mackenzie, the Scottish explorer, explorer and fur trader who became famous for his travels across what is now Canada. In the foreground of the group is Mackenzie engraving a large boulder with the inscription, "Alex Mackenzie from Canada by land 22d July 1793", as evidence of the explorer's passage on his adventurous journey. In the lower left corner stands the guide Nuxalk, to the right of Mackenzie stands another member of his expedition. Off shore, an Indian helps carry a canoe across the shallow waters. The historical accuracy of this scene is marred by the traditional clothing in which the men are dressed, especially the cedar hat on the head of the explorer Nuxalk. The coin also bears the inscriptions "CANADA", the year of issue "2017" and the face value "200 DOLLARS".

The obverse shows a traditional portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanne Blunt with the inscriptions "ELIZABETH II" and "D G REGINA".

The coin comes in a burgundy leatherette box along with a numbered certificate of authenticity in a limited edition of only 1,000 pieces for the entire world!

Alexander Mackenzie

He came to Canada at the age of 15. When he was twenty, the Northwestern Company sent him as a buyer to Lake Saint Claire. His next assignment came in 1785, when he was sent to the upper Churchill. The next trip was to Lake Athabasca. Here he wintered, in Fort Chipewyan, which he built for that purpose. In the spring of 1789 he then sailed in birch-bark boats down the Slave River to the Great Slave Lake. In doing so, he discovered the river that now bears his name. Mackenzie believed he would sail it to the Pacific Ocean, but the long westward-flowing river suddenly turned north after 350 kilometres. Mackenzie did not reach the ocean, but he did discover two new mountain ranges. One is now called the Mackenzie, the other the Franklin. Eventually, he followed the river to the Arctic Sea. Then he returned to Chipewyan.

After this expedition, he returned to Scotland. He reappeared in Canada in 1792. He went to Chipewyan again. From there he sailed up the Peace River to the confluence with the Smoky River. Here he built a new fort for wintering. In the spring of 1793 he continued his journey up the Peace River, passing through the Rocky Mountains, entering the Parsnip and then the Fraser River and upstream of one of its tributaries. He reached the Coast Mountains, which he managed to cross, and made his way to Queen Charlotte's Bay in the Pacific Ocean.

In 1794, he finally arrived in Montréal, bringing his adventure to an end. He was made a nobleman for his exploratory services. He recorded his experiences in his 1801 book, The Travels of Alexander Mackenzie of Montreal from the St. Lawrence River across the North American continent.