ROYAL CANADIAN MINT HONOURS LEGENDARY CANADIAN PIANIST AND JAZZ GIANT OSCAR PETERSON ON NEW $1 CIRCULATION COIN
PR97415
TORONTO, Aug. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
The Royal Canadian Mint is honouring one of the greatest musicians the world
has ever seen by issuing a new $1 commemorative circulation celebrating the
life and artistic legacy of Canada's own Oscar Peterson. Called "the man with
four hands" by jazz great and admirer Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson rose to
the top of the music world through more than six decades of electrifying piano
performances and unforgettable compositions such as Hymn to Freedom, Blues
Etude and The Canadiana Suite. The coin was unveiled today before family and
friends gathered in Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall, a stage well known to Mr.
Peterson. It will begin circulating on August 15, to coincide with his
birthday.
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"The Mint is passionate about celebrating stories of exceptional Canadians on
its coins and I am delighted that Oscar Peterson, the first Canadian musician
to appear on a circulation coin, is being celebrated as one of the world's most
respected and influential jazz artists of all time," said Marie Lemay,
President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Mr. Peterson's music and
legendary performances have brought joy to millions of music lovers in Canada
and around the world and we are proud to honour him, through this coin, for his
exceptional contributions to Canadian music and culture."
The Oscar Peterson commemorative circulation coin was designed by artist
Valentine De Landro, an accomplished comic book artist, illustrator, and
designer from Ajax, Ontario. His design features Oscar Peterson at the piano,
with his hands in full motion, from which emerges a flowing musical scale
showing two closing bars of his famous Hymn to Freedom. Mr. Peterson's name
completes the design.
"Throughout Oscar's career he received many awards and honours, each of which
meant a great deal to him. During the nearly fifteen years since his passing,
there have been more. All of them humbling. All of them a source of pride. The
addition of this commemorative circulation coin bearing his likeness is
something neither he nor I could ever have imagined," said Kelly Peterson.
"Knowing that Canadians now, and for generations to come, will hold this coin
and be reminded of Oscar Peterson or be inspired to learn about him for the
first time evokes emotions challenging to describe. I am deeply, profoundly
honoured. Oscar was a great pianist and composer. He was a staunch advocate for
human rights. Above all, he was always a proud Canadian. As his music is
timeless, so too now will he be a part of the Canadian consciousness forever."
Growing up in Little Burgundy, the neighbourhood that was the hub of Montreal's
black community, Oscar Peterson was taught, by his father and his older sister
Daisy, the value of a music education from a very early age. Raised on the
classics, he quickly mastered the piano and honed his craft through popular
music to become one of the most acclaimed jazz musicians of all time. Over a
more than 60-year career, he made over 400 recordings and his famous Oscar
Peterson Trio performed around the world. He won eight Grammy Awards and was
inducted in Canada's Music Hall of Fame in 1978. A first-time Juno Awards
nominee in 1977, he won Best Jazz Album, as The Oscar Peterson Four, in 1987.
He was also made a Companion of the Order of Canada by the late Ramon
Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada.
In 1962, he composed Hymn to Freedom, which became an anthem of the 1960s civil
rights movement whose musical and social influence continues to resonate
today. His Canadiana Suite was an epic and moving tribute to the country he
loved and always called home.
The impact of Oscar Peterson's work and life story transcends generations:
inspiring countless artists who themselves became music icons, and still
attracting new generations to his music and to his craft. Numerous music
schools and scholarships have been founded in his honour. Mr. Peterson died in
2007 at the age of 82.
"When I was a child traveling the world with my dad, I remember being curious
about the figures on each country's currency. It was an opportunity to learn
about the history of where I was visiting. One thing that has always been
important to me is that as Canadians, we take the time to explore our history -
all aspects of it," said Céline Peterson. "Knowing that Canadians at home and
anyone who visits from abroad will hold the opportunity to learn about a
formidable figure in our nation's history in the palm of their hand, brings me
an immense amount of joy. My dad being given this recognition by the Royal
Canadian Mint is something I never would have even thought to imagine because
to me, he is and always will be, dad."
The Oscar Peterson circulation coin is limited to a mintage of three million
coins, of which two million feature a purple accent, Oscar Peterson's favourite
colour. It will reach Canadians through their change as bank branches and
businesses replenish their inventories of $1 circulation coins.
The coloured and uncoloured circulation coin can be purchased together as part
of a six-piece Collector Keepsake coin set. They are packaged in a richly
illustrated collector card that contains one of each currently circulating
coin, from five cents to two dollars. Other collector products adding to the
celebration of Oscar Peterson's legacy include special wrap rolls of 25
one-dollar circulation coins, in coloured and uncoloured versions, as well as 1
oz. fine silver and pure gold versions of the circulation coin design.
These collectibles can be ordered as of today by contacting the Mint at
1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at
www.mint.ca/oscarpeterson. They are also available at the Royal Canadian
Mint's Ottawa and Winnipeg boutiques, as well as through the Mint's global
network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post
outlets.
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 (
).
Images of the circulation coin and related collector products are available
here (
).
SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint (RCM)
For more information, media are asked to contact: Alex Reeves, Senior Manager,
Public Affairs, Telephone: +1 613-884-6370, reeves@mint.ca
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