From the moment the decision was made to build a railway across Canada, the mountains on the western part of the continent have stood as a towering challenge to laying tracks and travelling along them. The massive Selkirk locomotives, captured in stunning detail on this fine silver collectable coin, were built in 1929.

Selkirks were designed to handle the steep terrain between Alberta and British Columbia, and are named for the Selkirk mountains they crossed along this route. These locomotives carried freight and passengers, and they burned oil rather than coal to reduce their weight and to eliminate the sparks from coal-burning engines that could potentially ignite the heavily forested route. With the arrival of diesel locomotives in the early 1950’s, the Selkirks began serving other routes in Alberta and Saskatchewan. They were taken out of service in 1959.

All collectable coins have been previously owned. Conditions will vary. 

Metal Type: Silver

Purity: 99.99

Mint: RCM

Year: 2010

Mintage: 10,000

Diameter: 38 mm

Weight: 31.39g

Special Features: Patterned edge

Packaging: RCM branded maroon clamshell with black sleeve and certificate

Artists: RCM engravers adapted an image provided by the CPR Archives (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)