History of this Series
In 1979, the Royal Canadian Mint issued the first ever Gold Maple Leaf. Initially the Mint issued only a .999 fine, one-ounce version, but in November of 1982, it began issuing quarter ounce and tenth ounce versions. At the same time, it increased the purity of the series to .9999. The quarter ounce joined the group in 1986, and a twentieth ounce piece was first issued in 1993. 1994 saw a 1/15 oz. piece as well, the only one ever issued, and the latest size, 1 gram, made its debut in 2014. The series has included several special issues, including bi-metallic Maples, five-nine fine pieces, two colored gold pieces, and four hologram gold Maples. Its history has also included Olympic Maple Leafs, special issues, privy coins, and maple leaf privies. Beyond its beauty and Canadian government backing, the coin is popular because of two security features introduced in 2015, radial lines and a maple leaf privy with the final two digits of the year, which make the coin virtually impossible to counterfeit.