The heroic defenders of Canada’s western prairies, the North West Mounted Police helped establish ties with Native Indians, broke up illegal whiskey rings and provided security on railroad-building projects. In 1973, on the 100th anniversary of the formation of the North West Mounted Police, which later became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a special one-year-only design on the 1973 Canadian Silver Dollar. Featuring a lone “Mountie” and his trusty steed, the design is one of the most popular in the entire Canadian Silver Dollar series.