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On, Donner! On, Blitzen! Santa and Rudolph—such a terrific twosome!—together on this magical and affordable copper-plated lenticular coin!

We're so excited about this dynamic Royal Canadian Mint's dynamic Lenticular Holiday Coin! We can almost hear the clip-clop of reindeer hooves on the rooftop. This magic sound (that all good little girls and boys long to hear on Christmas Eve) signals the arrival of Santa and his team of flying reindeer, led by Rudolph. New this year, the lenticular half-dollar is copper-plated, for an intriguing and visually arresting patina!

Magical Reindeer Technology

What a sight as marvelous reindeer take to flight! How did Santa's team of reindeer come to fly? Legend has it they received their powers when they ate enchanted corn a wizard gave to Santa. This special meal had wondrous effects! It increased their strength three times over, gave them enough energy to last for infinity, and imparted the ability to run on air as if it were solid ground! Hee-yah!

Santa's magical reindeer, led by Rudolph, have evolved special features that enable them to complete their global journey in late December. Their antlers help the reindeer balance when they are airborne - this is why both males and females have them! And their large hooves act like snowshoes on snow, marshy ground (as well as icy roofs!). Their coats are thick with stiff hairs to keep out the cold in the worst kind of weather - protection that’s key to their one-night adventure as they spread joy and wonder throughout the world.

Kids, adults and animal enthusiasts alike will appreciate this festive, colorful design!

The Santa & Rudolph Half Dollar is the 4th in the Mint's dynamic Lenticular Holiday Coins series. This series couples exciting, advanced minting technologies with a most affordable price! Please see the article near the end of this presentation for a short history of Santa Claus.

Technology Note

The Santa & Rudolph Half Dollar is the fourth holiday release to feature the Royal Canadian Mint’s new 3-D lenticular technology. The RCM leads the world with its proprietary colorization technology, in which the color is actually sealed on the coin. The lenticular technology combines color with the illusion of movement - as you tilt the coin back and forth, Santa Claus magically switches places with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

The Specimen Finish
This coin features the uniquely-Canadian "specimen" finish, a three-fold combination of different finishes. The design (raised area or relief) includes both brilliant and mirrored surfaces, while the fields (background) are subtly striated, resulting in a contrasting, matte appearance. No other mint in the world employs the specimen finish.

Obverse

Portraits of two of our favorite holiday friends, Santa Claus and Rudolph, highlighted in color by the Royal Canadian Mint's proprietary colorization technology, and further enhanced by the mint's lenticular 3-D effect. The date and denomination are also indicated.

Reverse

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in profile facing right. This portrait, the fourth effigy of the queen to appear on Canadian Coinage, was executed by the artist Susanna Blunt. The legend ELIZABETH II D. G. REGINA ("Elizabeth II, Queen by the Grace of God") also appears.

Packaging

The coin is encapsulated inside a burgundy leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and protected by a black outer box. An official certificate of authenticity is included.

Specifications

Country	Canada
Year of Issue	2010

Face Value	50 Cents
Weight	12.61 g
Diameter	35 mm

Finish	Specimen
Composition	Copper-Plated Steel
Edge	Plain

Artist	Royal Canadian Mint engravers
Certificate	Included

Santa Claus or Father Christmas
There are many myths and legends surrounding Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas in the UK or Europe, also as Kris Kringle or even Papa Noel in Latin America. His legendary residence is at the North Pole, where he abides happily with his wife, Mrs. Claus (first name unknown) and many small elves or gnomes who are working hard all year round to create toys for all the children of the world.

Mr. Claus has the job of overseeing toy production and of course keeping the list of children and their behavior, for use on Christmas Eve in delivering appropriate gifts. He does this all in one night with the assistance of his flying reindeer and his magical sleigh. (And one very large sack to hold all the goodies!)

While his age is not known exactly, traditional representations of the bearded man in his red and white suit date back as early as the late 1800's, making him quite old indeed. In some cultures there has been opposition to Santa Claus as he has sometimes pushed aside more traditional local symbols of Christmas such as "Sinterklaas" in the Netherlands, the Yule Goat in Sweden, and "Toftirus" in Norway, although it is rumored that Jolly old St. Nick does enjoy a tankard of Norwegian Yule Ale now and then.

Santa's actual place of residence is a well-kept secret, in that the "North Pole" is somewhat indistinct, and that no less than three Scandinavian countries claim to have Santa as a resident within their borders. This likely is a security issue for Santa, who must want to protect his massive production facilities and accumulations of toys and electronics.

As Christmas approaches, millions of children get ready to put out cookies and milk by the chimney, as they wait for Santa to arrive during their sleep.