Royal Canadian Legion marks 100 years with commemorative $2 coin

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard

The Royal Canadian Legion is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a new commemorative $2 circulation coin honouring a century of service, remembrance and support for Canada’s veterans and military community.

The Royal Canadian Mint has released the 2026 commemorative coin in recognition of the Legion’s official centennial, which marks 100 years since a special Act of Parliament incorporated the organization on July 17, 1926. The Legion traces its roots to 1925, when it was founded as The Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League.

While Canadians may discover the commemorative $2 coin in their everyday pocket change, collectors can also purchase a special Colourized Special Wrap Roll containing 25 uncirculated coins featuring the same design enhanced with the colours of the Legion’s royal crest, including gold, blue, white and red.

Canadian artist Vladyslava Pashchenko designed the reverse of the coin, featuring an adaptation of The Royal Canadian Legion’s royal crest at its centre. Surrounding the design is the Legion’s Latin motto, MEMORIAM · EORUM · RETINEBIMUS, meaning “We Will Remember Them.”

The commemorative artwork also depicts a touching scene of a Legion member offering a Poppy flower to a child standing alongside their mother, symbolizing the passing of remembrance from one generation to the next. Along the outer rim are the inscriptions “THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION” and “LA LÉGION ROYALE CANADIENNE,” together with “100 YEARS / ANS” and the anniversary dates “1926–2026.” The Legion’s Poppy logo appears between two micro-engraved security marks.

Two Poppies are incorporated into the reverse design. One is the flower being presented to the child, while the second is based on the Legion’s official Poppy logo displayed on the outer rim. The Royal Canadian Legion has long championed the Poppy as Canada’s enduring symbol of Remembrance and continues to steward its meaning through the annual National Poppy Campaign.

The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III, created by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.

The commemorative coin has a face value of $2, weighs 6.99 grams and is composed of a three-ply nickel-plated steel outer ring surrounding a three-ply brass-plated aluminum bronze inner core with selective colour. Its edge features interrupted serrations.

Only 25,000 Colourized Special Wrap Rolls have been produced, making the collector edition a limited commemorative release. The Mint notes collectors may receive rolls with the reverse design visible on both ends or with the reverse on one end and the obverse on the other, as the production process does not allow the Mint to guarantee which version will be shipped.

The 2026 commemorative $2 coin serves as both a tribute to The Royal Canadian Legion’s century of dedication and a lasting reminder of the organization’s commitment to remembering those who have served Canada.