A cultural celebration ornamented with Italian red coral.

More than 500 years after Italian explorer John Cabot first reached these shores, Canada is home to one of the largest Italian diasporas in the world, with over 1.5 million Canadians claiming Italian ancestry. Generations of Italian Canadians have influenced Canada’s cultural and economic fabric with contributions to literature, music, science, and more, while the many “Little Italy” neighbourhoods remain proud symbols of community, strength, and an abundance of customs that are steeped in history.

The spirit and culture of the Italian people are alive and well in Canada, and they are well represented on this 99.99% pure gold coin. The coin’s immaculately engraved reverse features an artistic arrangement of deeply symbolic elements that surround the Stella d’Italia positioned at the centre of the design, where the five-pointed emblem is adorned with genuine Italian red coral—a precious symbol of good luck and protection in Italian tradition.

Coin #6 in the series!

Good to know

Celebrate Italian-Canadian heritage. Superbly crafted in 99.99% pure gold, this coin celebrates and symbolically represents Italian culture in Canada. Its design pays tribute to the strength of the Italian-Canadian community and its abundance of customs that are steeped in history.

Italian red coral. On your coin’s reverse, the centrepiece is authentic Italian red coral that has been responsibly sourced from a reputable supplier—the species is not on the CITIES endangered list, and it was not harvested from a living reef.

Italian and Canadian symbols. The five-pointed Stella d’Italia, one of the national symbols of Italy, is prominently featured on your coin’s reverse, where Roman columns support the row of arches framing the emblems of Canada and Italy.

Coin #6. Sixth coin in our annual series highlighting the cultural and historical diversity of Canadian society.

A rare and prestigious addition to your collection. Only 275 coins are available worldwide. Also available in 1 oz. 99.99% pure silver with simulated Italian red coral.

Certified gemstone. For peace of mind and the assurance of quality and authenticity, each coin comes with a separate gemstone certificate for the Italian red coral.

Includes serialized certificate. The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.

Did you know?

June is Italian Heritage Month in Canada! It is an opportunity to honour the culture and history of Italian Canadians, and the contributions they have made to Canada and Canadian society.

Italian red coral has been harvested and used for ornamentation since ancient times, and it continues to be an important industry in coastal regions of Italy—especially in Torre del Greco, a port town renowned for its coral workshops and artisans. As a sought-after jewellery material, red coral is traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck, and it is often used to craft amulets, such as the horn-shaped cornicello that protects against the “evil eye.” Some also believe it to have healing and high-energy qualities.

Behind closed doors

“As the Canadian child of an Italian immigrant, I know firsthand the blending of two cultures. I wanted to use symbolism in this design to merge two cultures together, hence the repetition of the Star of Italy and the maple leaf throughout. There are patterns and elements from the architecture and style of Italy, woven together in a new way to create an Italian-Canadian motif. Oak leaves, maple leaves, columns, arches and renaissance patterns all blend to indicate the marriage of two cultures.”

– Tony Bianco, Artist

“The bonds between Italy and Canada are deep and long-standing. They are rooted, among others, in the presence of a vibrant, numerous, and hard-working Italian and Italian-descent community all across Canada. Italian Canadians have made invaluable contributions to Canadian society, enriching the country’s political, economic, scientific, and cultural landscape. This coin honours not only Italy’s rich history and tradition, but also the extraordinary Italian-Canadian partnership, which continues to thrive and strengthen.”

– His Excellency Alessandro Cattaneo, Ambassador of Italy to Canada

“When a design blends both architectural and organic elements, we engravers need to adapt our approach in order to differentiate and highlight the best of each type. It’s an interesting challenge, and the result is a beautiful, balanced contrast between the flowing lines of the organic elements and the straight, organized lines of the architectural elements.”

– Louis-Remi Labelle, 3D Artist-Engraver

About the design

Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a graphic beauty box.

The reverse design by artist Tony Bianco combines design elements drawn from Italian heritage to form a symbolic representation of the Italian-Canadian community. It centres on the five-pointed symbol of Italy, the Stella d’Italia, which is topped with genuine Italian red coral. Between the Roman columns emanating from the star points, a Renaissance-style pattern includes two elements inspired by the emblem of the Italian Republic: the oak leaf that symbolizes strength, and the olive branch representing peace and abundance. The five columns support a row of arches that form the outer edge; inspired by the Roman Colosseum, these arches frame the repeating Stella d’Italia and the Canadian maple leaf that represent two cultures coming together. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.

Product # 246151

$200 Pure Gold Coin - Celebrating Canada’s Diversity: Strength and Abundance (2025)