You will not see Dora de Pédery-Hunt’s signature on any coin, but you will see her initials on the Queen’s shoulder.
Limited Edition plaster reproduction of working model, #21 of 275. (NCC 2009.020.003)
Dora de Pédery-Hunt’s work is as familiar as the change that jingles in your pocket. In all likelihood, you have come in contact with her work while using coins to pay for your morning cup of coffee. Dora de Pédery-Hunt was the first Canadian artist to design and sculpt an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II for coinage. Incidentally, this was the first time someone other than a British citizen had designed an official depiction of Queen Elizabeth II for this purpose.
When the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) selected Dora’s design, she painstakingly began working on a clay model. All of the details had to be carefully considered, as the depth of the relief had to be suitable for producing coins. This model was then captured in plaster, where additional refinements could be made. Any errors could easily be corrected at this stage with the addition of more plaster. The size of the plaster is usually several times larger than the actual coin in order to capture all of the fine details.
It takes the sculptor /engravers about 3 weeks to complete the clay model. (NCC 2009.020.001)
This plaster model is about 14 times larger than a quarter. (NCC 2009.020.002)
At the time, there were many steps between the plaster model and the production of coins. Today, the process has been significantly refined. The plaster model is scanned in 3D and any final corrections or enhancements can be made digitally. Guided by this digital file, an engraving machine cuts the design into a piece of steel at the correct size of the coin. Known as a reduction punch, this piece of steel is then used to make the dies which will actually strike the coins. The tremendous pressure used to strike the coins wears down the dies, so the mint will periodically use the punch to create new dies.
In 1999, the “P”, under the portrait on this punch, was added by the RCM to indicate a change in metal from nickel to multi-ply plated steel. (NCC 2010.058.006)
Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Dora de Pédery-Hunt on a selection of coins from the National Currency Collection. (NCC 1993.022.080–085; 1996.031.041)
2018’s FIDEM Congress theme is Women and Women in the Natural Sciences. We are proud to present works by Dora de Pédery-Hunt.
This portrait has appeared on all Canadian coins minted between 1990 and 2003.
We want to hear from you! Do you have an idea for a blog post you’d like to see?
Content type(s):
Blog posts
The Museum Blog
November 23, 2017
The Bank of Canada Museum Goes International
By: Ken Ross
Every year the conference of the International Federation of Finance Museums (IFFM) draws museum directors from five continents to a get-together aimed at sharing best-practices and keeping up with the latest trends in the world of financial museums. This year was the Bank’s first opportunity to attend the conference with a museum in fully-operational mode.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
October 23, 2017
A Curator’s Favourite Task
By: David Bergeron
I have several key responsibilities to meet the requirements of my job. None of them is more gratifying than conducting research about the incredible artifacts in the Bank’s collection.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
September 12, 2017
How’re We Doing So Far?
By: Graham Iddon
It’s all good, and we couldn’t be happier with our first few weeks of business.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
August 2, 2017
Coin designs of Emanuel Hahn
By: David Bergeron
In 1934 the Department of Finance invited Emanuel Hahn to submit a design for a silver dollar to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V’s reign.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
July 11, 2017
Our Grand Opening…
By: Graham Iddon
After four years of plans, worries, setbacks, successes and sheer hard work, the Bank of Canada Museum opened its doors—on Canada Day, right on schedule.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
June 22, 2017
Museum Reconstruction - Part 8
By: Graham Iddon
The last few stragglers among our artifacts are ready for installation and the interactives and digital labels are bulking up with the final software and data, in them, so it’s all there, functional and looking fantastic.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
June 16, 2017
The Yap Stone Returns
By: Graham Iddon
For us, its removal from the Garden Court dramatically marked the Currency Museum’s closing. The big stone’s return now performs the opposite role for the new Bank of Canada Museum—heralding its opening.
Content type(s):
Blog posts
