Flower Day is celebrated by many on May 20, with people around the world enjoying the day as an opportunity to appreciate the beauty and meaning behind the globe’s diverse spectrum of flowers. These little horticultural fireworks of Mother Nature are universally beloved, and it’s therefore no surprise that so many government mints around the world use flower imagery on their coins. One nation that has showcased flowers on its coins for decades is Canada. The nation is well known for producing a plethora of coins with stunning designs depicting scenes from nature, and one such Canadian coin that does this by way of flowers is the 1970 Manitoba Centennial Dollar.
The 1970 Manitoba Centennial Dollar was issued by the Royal Canadian Mint to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ascension of the province of Manitoba to the confederation of Canada. The coin was the first nickel-based commemorative dollar struck by Canada, and it was produced for both circulation and numismatic purposes. The obverse depicts a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II that was designed by Arnold Machin and was a standard motif at the time this coin was struck. The reverse, designed by Raymond Taylor, features the prairie crocus, which is Manitoba’s official flower.
A total of 4,140,058 circulation strikes were produced while 349,120 were made in prooflike format for inclusion in the Canada 1970 Prooflike Set. A further 1,000 pieces were struck as specimens. For those who wish to include a 1970 Manitoba Dollar in their collection, the coin is thankfully highly accessible, and they are generally widely obtainable for only a few dollars. They can be purchased within 1970 Canada Prooflike Sets (which remain quite common), or they can be purchased as individual specimens graded by PCGS.