After reading the stories behind America’s iconic Buffalo Gold Coin, we’re turning our attention to Canada’s Gold Maple Leaf!

The Gold Maple Leaf

If author Ian Fleming made his character Auric Goldfinger a modest numismatist instead of an evil arch-villain, Goldfinger’s gold obsession would point him towards Canada’s Gold Maple Leaf coin… and for good reason. In globally minted gold bullion coinage space, Gold Maple Leaf coins have the unrivaled purity of .9999 millesimal fineness. (Note: some special edition Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins contain marked gold purity levels of .99999). Such near-perfect quality has made the Gold Maple Leaf one of the most valued and collected precious metal coins since its inception in 1979.

The Golden Pride of Canada

Produced by the Royal Canadian Mint, the Gold Maple Leaf was originally brainstormed by Walter Ott as an alternative gold bullion coin to the South African Krugerrand. Ott’s minted vision was to quickly become the world’s purest, and most popular gold coin. The coin’s purity notwithstanding, its most notable feature is the understated design it has showcased for over three decades.

Featuring the profile of Queen Elizabeth II (with the mint date and monetary face value) on the obverse, contrasted by a Canadian Maple Leaf image on the reverse, the Gold Maple Leaf currently enjoys five minted denominations: 1/20 Troy Ounce ($1 Canada face value); 1/10 Troy Ounce ($5 Canada face value); 1/4 Troy Ounce ($10 Canada face value); 1/2 Troy Ounce ($20 Canada face value); 1 Troy Ounce ($50 Canada face value). In 2007, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a record-setting Gold Maple Leaf coin that weighed in at 100 kg (3,215 Troy Ounces!) with a face value of $1 million. This Gold Maple Leaf was quickly certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest gold coin.

For a coin as appealing as the Gold Maple Leaf, one might forgive a small historical misstep. In 1994, a 1/15 Troy Ounce minting was offered to the public. Unfortunately, collectors did not embrace the new size as expected, and it became relegated to just a single-year mintage.

A Coveted Canadian Coin

To date, the Gold Maple Leaf continues to be an outstanding investment-grade bullion coin. Collecting aficionados and keen investors covet this coin. Aesthetically and value-wise, Gold Maple Leaf coins represent the finest examples of gold bullion currency. Whether purchased as a hedge against inflation or simply as an addition to one’s existing coin collection, the Gold Maple Leaf’s exceptional purity sets it apart from other gold bullion coinage.

If you’re an international gold buyer or coin collector, visit our website to learn about the Gold Maple Leaf and other types of bullion we offer.

Written by

Allie Bowman

Allie Bowman is the Content Lead at Garfield Refining, where she translates more than 130 years of precious metals expertise into clear, accurate, and practical content for individual sellers, dental professionals, jewelers, and collectors. A Dean's List graduate of the University of Delaware's Media Communication program, Allie has built her career around making complex subjects accessible to a broad audience. Her experience spans nutrition science, lifestyle magazine publishing, and precious metals refining, giving her a unique ability to transform technical information into engaging, trustworthy content. At Garfield, Allie brings editorial rigor and subject-matter expertise to every piece she produces. She works closely with Garfield's refining specialists and senior leadership to ensure that technical topics - from karat markings and assay methods to precious metals markets and spot price mechanics - are explained with both accuracy and clarity. Since joining Garfield's marketing team, Allie has written extensively on precious metals refining, dental scrap recovery, gold and silver bullion, estate and inherited jewelry, and industry-specific topics for dental and jewelry professionals. All content is reviewed by Garfield's leadership team prior to publication, ensuring it reflects the company's standards for accuracy, transparency, and industry expertise.

Reviewed by

Morgan Kerrissey

Morgan Kerrissey is the President of Garfield Refining, one of North America's most longstanding and trusted precious metals refineries. For over two decades, Morgan has built his career at the intersection of commodities markets, metallurgy, and precious metals — earning a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable voices in the refining industry. Morgan joined Garfield in 2008, bringing rigorous operational discipline to a company built on exacting standards since 1892. Named President in 2014, he has guided Garfield through volatile gold, silver, and palladium markets, while modernizing its workforce and technologies and diversifying its metal supply chains. Under his leadership, Garfield has expanded its refining capabilities across the full lifecycle of precious metals recovery, entered new markets, and expanded services while maintaining the same customer forward approach that has made Garfield a mainstay for more than a century. From hedging strategy to daily refinery operations, Morgan commands high levels of technical depth and market fluency. Morgan grew up outside Boston, graduated from Harvard University, and has lived with his family in Philadelphia, PA for almost 20 years.