The Royal Canadian Mint Launches Commemorative Silver Coin to Mark Hudson’s Bay Company’s 350th Anniversary

TORONTO – In 1670, a Royal Charter was granted to “the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson Bay.” Today, HBC is North America’s oldest company and this year celebrates its 350 year anniversary, marking an incredible milestone in the company’s rich history. To commemorate this occasion, The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to launch a trade token replica $10 silver coin, representing the story of a company, a nation and its currency.

“HBC is pleased to collaborate with the Royal Canadian Mint to commemorate 350 years of business in Canada,” said Richard Baker, Executive Chairman and Governor of HBC. “Like the country itself, currency has had an interesting and important role in our company’s history – from beaver pelts to tokens, from cash to ecommerce – and so it seems fitting to mark HBC’s milestone anniversary with a coin bearing our historical coat of arms from a fur trade era token. As HBC’s 39th Governor, I am incredibly proud of our three and a half centuries of history. I hope all Canadians will join in celebrating with us.”

Striking the right balance of past and present, the reverse design is a near-exact reproduction of a 19th century HBC brass “Made Beaver” fur trade token issued between 1860 – 1870. The design features the Hudson’s Bay Company Coat of Arms framed in an oak wreath, with the company motto “PRO PELLE CUTEM” (Latin for “a pelt for a skin”) appearing below the shield. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II designed by Canadian portrait artist Susanna Blunt.

Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint said, “I wish to extend my congratulations to HBC on achieving this milestone. We are pleased to be able to mark the occasion through a beautifully crafted coin recreating their historic trade token.”

The 2020 $10 Fine Silver Coin – 350th Anniversary of Hudson’s Bay Company – has a limited mintage of 10,000 and retails for $44.95. The coin is packaged in a custom HBC-branded beauty box, complete with HBC’s iconic stripes. Available in select Hudson’s Bay stores and on thebay.com, Royal Canadian Mint’s boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg and www.mint.ca, and through the Mint’s global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets. The coin may also be ordered by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US.

About HBC

HBC is a diversified retailer focused on driving the performance of high-quality stores and their omni-channel platforms and unlocking the value of real estate holdings. Founded in 1670, HBC is the oldest company in North America. HBC’s portfolio today includes formats ranging from luxury to premium department stores to off price fashion shopping destinations, with nearly 250 stores and approximately 30,000 employees around the world. HBC’s leading businesses across North America include Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson’s Bay, and Saks OFF 5TH. HBC also has significant investments in real estate joint ventures. It has partnered with Simon Property Group Inc. in the HBS Joint Venture, which owns properties in the United States. In Canada, it has partnered with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust in the RioCan-HBC Joint Venture.

About Hudson’s Bay

HBC, incorporated in 1670, is North America’s oldest company. Hudson’s Bay has grown to become Canada’s most prominent department store, today operating 89 full-line locations and thebay.com. Hudson’s Bay has established a reputation for quality, service, and style by offering well-edited assortments of exclusive and popular fashion, beauty, home and accessory designers and brands, as well as exclusive food concepts. It is part of the HBC brand portfolio. The signature stripes are a registered trademark of Hudson’s Bay Company.

About the Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. The Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Media Contacts:

For HBC
Tiffany Bourré, DVP, Communications and Heritage
tiffany.bourre@hbc.com

For the Royal Canadian Mint
Alex Reeves, Senior Manager, Public Affairs
reeves@mint.ca