CGG

Due to its purity, the Royal Canadian Mint markets it Gold Maple Leaf coin as the 'international symbol of purity'. At the time it was initially minted in 1979, it was the 24-karat alternative to the 22-karat South African Krugerrand, the only other one troy ounce gold bullion coin available at the time. Since then, the Maple Leaf has become the standard of quality against which all other bullion coins are measured.

In 1983, the Mint began making Maple Leafs from .9999 fine gold, and in 2007, the Mint surprised the numismatic world with a .99999 pure Maple Leaf with a $200 face value.

The obverse of the Gold Maple Leaf features a bust of Queen Elizabeth II. The original design depicted the Queen in her younger days, but in 1990 was changed to a more mature portrait. In both versions, her name "ELIZABETH II" appears at top; the denomination and date of issue rest underneath the bust.

The reverse depicts a Maple Leaf, the national symbol of Canada for which the coin derives its name. The Gold Maple Leaf's reverse also lists the name of the country and the amount and purity of the gold - in both English and French, the national languages of Canada.