Royal Canadian Mint Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Royal Winnipeg Ballet With Stunning Silver Coin

[box]為銘誌皇家溫尼辟皇家芭蕾舞團（Royal Winnipeg Ballet）成立七十五周年，加拿大皇家鑄幣廠（Royal Canadian Mint）發行一枚純銀紀念幣。紀念幣除了首次以先進上色技術，凸顯銀幣圖案中芭蕾舞蹈員色彩鮮豔的透明薄紗舞衣，更開創先河將銀幣配搭音樂盒推出。 該枚99.99%純銀幣的面額20元，重量是31.6克，直徑40毫米。此銀幣全球發行量是7,500枚。該幣的背後圖案是六名皇家溫尼辟皇家芭蕾舞團女舞蹈員，演出芭蕾舞劇中不朽的經典作品《睡美人》（Sleeping Beauty），六人共同一致舞姿，巧妙地併合成一個雪花形狀，此圖案是加國最傑出舞蹈攝影家高柏（David Copper）的照片作品之雕刻演繹。鑄幣廠首次使用先進上色技術，令銀幣圖案中芭蕾舞蹈員穿色彩鮮豔的舞衣，產生透明薄紗效果。其次，鑄幣廠首次將銀幣配置在音樂盒一同出售，音樂盒被打開後，就會播放柴可夫斯基（Tchaikovsky)《睡美人圓舞曲》音樂。 有機會訂的朋友不容錯過啊。[/box]

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Royal Canadian Mint is paying colourful tribute to the organization’s rich artistic legacy within Canada and abroad with a unique silver collector coin, which was unveiled today by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall. Following the unveiling, the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages presented Her Royal Highness with one of the special coins.

“The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is among Canada’s most prestigious and dynamic cultural institutions, renowned for teaching, creating and performing outstanding dance for the past 75 years,” said Minister Glover. “Our Government is a proud supporter of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and wishes it prolonged success as it continues to flourish in Winnipeg.”

“This spectacular coin celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, which is an important milestone anniversary for Canada’s internationally renowned ballet company,” said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “It will be a meaningful and cherished keepsake for ballet dancers, ballet enthusiasts and collectors alike.”

“As the Royal Winnipeg Ballet celebrates 75 years of bringing joy to audiences and dance enthusiasts alike, we continue to spark excitement and artistic innovation as one of the world’s premiere dance companies,” said André Lewis, Artistic Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. “This beautifully crafted coin by the Mint adds to an exciting year of performances and celebrations befitting Canada’s oldest ballet company.”

The coin’s reverse image is an engraved rendition of a photograph by one of Canada’s foremost dance photographers, David Cooper. The overhead view features six dancers from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s lavish production of The Sleeping Beauty. Advanced “sheer effect” colour faithfully recreates the stunning costumes worn by the dancers and further showcases the beautiful embellishments that adorn their traditional platter tutus. The coin comes in its very own music box – a Royal Canadian Mint first. When opened, the box plays Sleeping Beauty (Valse) melody by Tchaikovsky.

The $20 fine silver coin 75th anniversary of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet has a limited mintage of 7,500 and retails for $114.95. It can be pre-ordered starting today by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Internet at www.mint.ca.