Masters of Coin Design: Stan Witten

Stan Witten is a distinguished artist and coin designer known for his contributions to Canadian numismatics. As an engraver at the Royal Canadian Mint, Witten played a key role in crafting some of Canada’s most celebrated coins as he blended his exceptional artistic ability with technical precision. Learn more about Stan Witten’s legacy, including his notable coin designs and their lasting impact on collectible coinage.

Who Is Stan Witten?

Stan Witten began his career as a coin artist under the direction of Dutch artist John Vanderbrink. He developed his skills through formal training in engraving techniques before starting an apprenticeship program with the Royal Canadian Mint in 1990, which he completed in 1994. He would go on to become a Senior Engraver for the Mint where he has had a long and illustrious career. 

The primary inspirations for Witten’s designs stem from Canada’s history, culture, and natural scenery. Throughout his career, he has designed numerous commemorative and bullion coins that celebrate national milestones, historical figures, and Canadian icons. Witten is renowned for his keen attention to detail and ability to translate concepts into intricate coin designs.

Stan Witten & The Royal Canadian Mint

Stan Witten designed a variety of commemorative and bullion coins as a leading coin designer and engraver at the Royal Canadian Mint. His portfolio includes some of Canada’s most recognized and historically significant coin releases, including the record-setting 2003 Big Maple Leaf coin. Several of Witten’s coin designs are also displayed on circulated Ugandan coinage.

Stan Witten Triple Maple Leaf Coin (2025)

Released in 2025,  the Triple Maple Leaf features a never-before-seen maple design created by Stan Witten using his over three decades of expertise. Witten handpicked three leaves from his own Sugar Maple Tree to craft this compelling composition, creating an authentic, personal connection to the design.

Hear from the designer himself in this video revealing the inspiration and process behind the New Triple Maple Leaf design:

“Maples are beautiful year-round, even in winter, and I fell in love with them when I moved to Ottawa – I even planted a few in our backyard, and those trees provided the inspiration for this design.

In the fall of 2023, as the leaves were coming down, I gathered some and placed them on the ground to form the arrangement seen here. After photographing it, I drew a sketch and then sculpted it, taking care to give each leaf a 3D composition by including undulations that form subtle valleys, and concave areas that create visual movement. That’s the key to creating visual interest in a shape that, upon first glance, seems so simple (although it’s not): depending on the art style, a subtle 3D form is more interesting than a series of carved lines. And a strong central image, with a lot of negative space to keep the focus on the main subject — in this case, the maple leaves — makes for a classic design with lasting appeal.

These leaves are presented cleanly and without any attachments; they could be interpreted as being in free flight or laying on the ground, and as being symbolic of the passage of time. Having them lean to the right adds a clockwise circular flow that complements the coin shape, while still allowing a great view of the leaf that is so symbolic of Canada and our wild places, which have inspired me throughout my life and career.”

– Stan Witten, Senior Engraver

Hear from the designer himself in this video revealing the inspiration and process behind the New Triple Maple Leaf design:

500 Dollar Gold Maple Leaves Coin (2019)

The 2019 $500 Gold Maple Leaf, crafted from pure gold, showcases an enhanced maple leaf design with intricate detailing in honor of the series’ 40th anniversary. Sam Witten’s design for this coin continues the Mint’s tradition of producing high-denomination collector pieces celebrating Canada’s history and natural beauty.

Terry Fox Loonie (2005)

Witten designed the Terry Fox commemorative loonie in 2005, honoring the Canadian hero’s legendary Marathon of Hope. This marked the first time a Canadian-circulated commemorative coin featured a Canadian individual, making it a significant milestone in the Royal Canadian Mint’s history.

Big Maple Leaf (2007)

One of Witten’s most notable designs is the 2007 Big Maple Leaf, a 100 kg gold coin with a face value of CAD 1 million. Crafted from extremely pure .99999 fine gold, it set a Guinness World Record for its sheer size and purity. The design features an intricate maple leaf motif, a signature of Canada’s numismatic tradition.

This record-setting release made headlines in 2017 when thieves stole one of the Big Maple Leaf coins worth over $4 million from Berlin's Bode Museum. The heist, involving two cousins and a security guard in an inside job, was executed in just 16 minutes. Unfortunately, the coin is believed to have been melted and sold, so it will never be recovered. Justice ultimately prevailed, with three suspects sentenced to prison and fines imposed to match the coin's value.

Masters of Coin Design at GOVMINT

Stan Witten’s legacy as a Senior Engraver at the Royal Canadian Mint spans decades of Canadian coinage. His ability to detail coin designs has led to some of Canada’s most recognizable pieces. Witten’s work reflects a deep appreciation for Canada’s history and culture, from commemorative issues to record-breaking bullion pieces.

This is part of a series celebrating masters of coin design, highlighting the artists behind some of the world’s most sought-after collectible coins. Explore more posts on legendary coin artists, including Beth Zaiken, Natanya Van Niekerk, Emily Damstra, Susan Taylor, and Michael Gaudioso, and their groundbreaking contributions to numismatics.

Lost Treasures: Famous American Coin & Treasure Hoards

People have always been fascinated with “buried treasure,” whether on land or in the sea. Over time, many great hoards of coins have been discovered, and many coins have been found in relatively pristine condition because they were stored away and forgotten about for generations until they were discovered.

Many existing hoards have already been found and dispersed through sales and auctions over the years, to the delight of many coin collectors. However, there are certainly many great coin hoards still hidden away, just waiting to be discovered.

What Is a Coin Hoard?

For most people, the term hoard infers a large quantity of something a person has gathered over a long period of time. Often, what the hoarder is passionate about is a valued collectible. A coin hoard is exactly that, a collection of coins, often ancient or of historical significance, intentionally stored or buried together and rediscovered as a single find.

In the world of numismatics, hoards can take on many forms. It may be a shoebox full of 19th-century currency notes, rolls of $10 gold pieces, or 1,000-piece bags of vintage silver dollars. Many times, the stories behind the hoards are even more exciting than the collectibles themselves. For example, the Redfield Coin Hoard led to the discovery of over 400,000 silver coins down a coal chute into a secret basement located behind a false wall. Or the Binion Silver Dollar Hoard, which is a tale steeped in drugs, affairs, and murder. More on those later.

The following are just some of the many great coin hoards discovered in America.

Castine Hoard (1840s)

One of the first buried treasure discoveries in the U.S. was the Castine Hoard of silver coins, discovered between November 1840 to April 1841, when Captain Stephen Grindle and his son Samuel unearthed many silver coins on their farm on the Bagaduce River, about six miles from the harbor of Castine, Maine. They found a coin when digging around a rock, and by dusk, they unearthed about 20 coins. But the weather turned, and a severe snowstorm covered the site, which remained snowed-in until the spring melt.

Early in the spring of 1841, they resumed digging when they came upon a large deposit of coins numbering around 500 pieces. Most pieces were foreign, like French crowns, half-crowns, quarters, and all of the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, which bore various dates from 1642 to 1682. A large portion of this first American coin hoard also consisted of the old Massachusetts, or Pine Tree, currency, of which there were around seventy-five shillings and nearly as many sixpences. Most coins were bright with little wear because they were hidden around 1690, so they could not have been in circulation very long. The number of actual pieces that were discovered was not recorded but is estimated to have been between 500 and 2,000 old silver coins.

Bank of NY Hoard (1856)

The large Bank of New York coin hoard was discovered before the Civil War in 1856 when the bank's old building at 48 Wall Street was demolished. Sometime in 1788, a keg of Fugio Cents was acquired by the bank and stored deep in the basement. In 1856, a heavy keg of about 5,000 coins was discovered in the back of an old bank vault. These were not just any coins, but Benjamin Franklin-designed 1787 Fugio Cents in mint state condition, and many with beautiful brown toning from being untouched for 70 years.

The bank gave these pieces to its better customers as souvenirs and keepsakes over the following 92 years until 1948, when there were only 1,641 mint state Fugios remaining. The bank saw the value and appreciation of this coin hoard, so they saved the remaining coins in their vaults, where they stay untouched today. At the bottom of the keg was a selection of the die varieties, which the Bank of New York donated to the American Numismatic Society Museum. The bank kept the remaining coins, many in mint state condition, which still remain on the property today.

Nichols Find (1859)

One of the most famous early U.S. coin hoards is the Nichols Find. The find was a treasure trove of 1796 and 1797 copper cents that came from an original bag of cents obtained from the U.S. Mint in late 1797 or early 1798 by Senator Benjamin Goodhue, formerly of the Continental Congress. It is believed that Goodhue gave the coins to his daughters, from whom they descended in the family through marriage to David Nichols of Gallows Hill, near Salem, Massachusets. These coins came to light in 1859 when David Nichols began selling the hoard to coin dealers. He sold the coins into 1863, by which time they were worth $3 to $4 each, much lower than their present-day value.

Randall Hoard (1860s)

Before, during, and after the Civil War, personal and business valuables were hidden away whenever possible from potential invading armies.  A few years after the war, a contractor was hired to tear down an old railway station in Georgia. Under the train station’s loading dock, he discovered several old kegs filled with bright red-toned fifty-year-old cents.

This unsuspecting contractor found himself with thousands of coins dated 1816 to 1820, with the majority being 1818 and 1820 copper cents. The redemption window had passed, but he convinced a New England store to accept them at face value toward his debt, but customers refused them as "counterfeit," and the banks also refused the cents. Nearly all the coins were sold to coin dealer J. S. Randall at a mere ninety cents for a hundred. It took decades to disperse the "Randall Hoard." Today, the Randall Coin Hoard accounts for the most known mint state examples of these particular dated United States cents.

Colonel Cohen Hoard (1870s) 

An old keg of coins was found in Richmond, Virginia, just prior to the Civil War. The hoard ended up in the hands of Baltimore Numismatist Colonel Mendes I. Cohen sometime in the 1870s. Colonel Cohen obtained a cache of thousands of uncirculated specimens of the 1773 Virginia half penny, which he slowly sold off over a period of years. This coin hoard was uncirculated, and most coins were toned red and were spotted or stained. These were exciting coins to view and no doubt own, as rich in history as they are in color.

In 1929, his descendants auctioned off all the remaining 2,200 coins to famous coin dealer Wayte Raymond, who purchased the remaining pieces and resold them for a profit. As a result, today, these are some of the only pre-colonial (pre-1776) American coins that can be easily obtained in mint state.

Exeter Hoard (1876)

The Exeter Hoard of Massachusetts Silver was discovered in 1876 during the excavation of a cellar near the railroad station in Exeter, New Hampshire. Reportedly, a group of 30 to 40 Massachusetts Silver Shillings were buried in the sand in what appeared to be the remains of an old wooden box. All coins bore the date 1652 and were of the Pine Tree and Oak Tree types, plus a Willow Tree Shilling.

In the 1650s, Early Americans would get silver coins and often bury them for their financial savings and carry copper coins for daily commerce; many of these small hoards probably exist today, just waiting to be discovered.

Economite Treasure (1878)

The Economite Treasure was discovered in a subterranean storage area in 1878 at Economy, Pennsylvania. This lost treasure was found in an old building erected years earlier by the Harmony Society, a utopian work-share community that placed all their goods in common. The religious sect was founded by George Rapp and was called Harmonists, Harmonites, Rappites, and the Harmony Society. Since the early 1800s, the Harmony Society established three model communities, the third located at Economy, PA, which is now Ambridge, PA. It is believed that the Harmony Society members stored their personal savings together in this subterranean storage area. Furthermore, it is believed the coins were concealed in the late 1830s in a vault that was covered in brick and mortar. Most of the coins appeared to have been taken from circulation over time and showed different degrees of wear. 

The March 1881 issue of the Coin Collector's Journal featured the inventory of quarters, half-dollars, silver dollars, and foreign silver (French, Spanish, and Spanish-American coins).  The total face value of the Economite Treasure was $75,000.

 Aaron White Hoard (1888)

Aaron White was an eccentric Connecticut lawyer who believed that the financial strain of the Civil War would bankrupt America, and as a result, all paper money, "green-backs" in particular, would eventually be deemed useless and of no value. He hoarded hard money as insurance against such catastrophe, as did many Americans at the time. He wanted to remind people of the downside of paper money and even went so far as striking his own token, inscribed, “Never Keep a Paper Dollar In Your Pocket ‘Till Tomorrow.”

White was passionate about saving coins and accumulated over 100,000 pieces over his lifetime. When the coin hoard was examined several years after White's death, it was found to contain 350 gold and 100 silver dollars, 200 silver half dollars, 5,000 2-cent pieces, 60,000 large cents and 60,000 copper-nickel cents, 250 Colonials, and more than 20,000 foreign coins. The coins were placed in the hands of noted coin dealer Edouard Frossard, who sold most of them privately. His sales experienced both success and scandal, where record sales prices were recorded, but thieves stole important portions of White's collection at the sale preview. Frossard sold the rest by auction on July 20, 1888, billing them as "18,000 American and foreign copper coins and tokens selected from Aaron White hoard."

Complete Guide to The Perth Mint

What is the Perth Mint? What does it do? Whether you’re an avid coin enthusiast or a beginner, join us as we cover everything you need to know about the Perth Mint.

The History of the Perth Mint

With the discovery of gold in 1892, triggering Australia’s second gold rush, Sir John Forrest saw the importance of gold in Western Australia’s economy. He therefore lobbied the British government to establish a branch of the Royal Mint in Perth. In 1895, the British Government gave the go-ahead to build a mint branch. Four years later, the Perth Mint started operations in 1899.

Since its origins over 125 years ago, the Perth Mint has been responsible for minting millions of coins, including collectible gold and silver coins and bars.

What Does the Perth Mint Do?

The Perth Mint designs and produces gold and silver coins and bullion for numismatic coin collectors and bullion enthusiasts. It also refines most of Australasia’s gold and silver. In its early days, however, the Perth Mint produced currency for the British Empire, such as gold sovereigns and half-sovereigns, until Britain abandoned the gold standard in 1931. During World War II, The Perth Mint also supported Australia’s economy by minting copper coins, including pennies and half-pennies.

What Is Special About The Perth Mint?

The Perth Mint is special because it’s the oldest of the two mints operating in Australia, acting as a premier tourist destination producing luxury jewelry. The Perth Mint is also unique because the Western Australian Government owns it, making it the only government-owned facility that guarantees quality precious metal products.

What Is the Difference Between The Royal Australian Mint and The Perth Mint?

Currently, Australia has two mints in operation: the Royal Australian Mint and the Perth Mint. The Royal Australian Mint is the sole supplier and producer of Australia’s circulating coinage, but it also produces circulating coins for other countries. While the Royal Australian Mint also produces collectible coins, medals, and tokens for local and international clients, the Perth Mint only produces non-circulatory coins for collectors and bullion stackers.

What Types of Coins Does The Perth Mint Create?

The Perth Mint has designed and produced a variety of popular historical and modern coin types. Some of the most common include the Lunar Series, Wedge-Tailed Eagle Series, Australian Silver and Gold Kangaroo Series, and many others. We’ll cover a few of these iconic Perth Mint coin series in more detail  in the following sections.

Lunar Series

Starting in 1996, the Lunar Series is a 12-year program based on the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Because of its popularity, the program is in its third series. Coin collectors can obtain gold, silver, and platinum Lunar Series coins. 

Wedge-Tailed Eagle Series

Designed by John Mercanti in 2014, the Wedge-Tailed Eagle Series features Australia’s largest bird of prey which is also considered one of the world’s biggest eagles. Since its release, this coin series has been issued annually as gold and silver coins. The series, which is known for its annually changing reverse designs created by Mercanti, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024.

Australian Kangaroo Series

Although we see early Perth Mint coins that feature Australia’s iconic kangaroo as far back as 1937, the Perth Mint first issued the Gold Kangaroo series in 1987, with a Silver Kangaroo series following in later years. Today, both Silver Kangaroos and Gold Kangaroos are beloved annual releases.

Australian Koala Series

The Koala Series launched in 2007, with varying coin sizes ranging from 1/10th ounce to one kilogram. Popular among coin collectors, this legal tender coin series features a new reverse design each year starring the Australian native, the koala bear.

Australian Kookaburra Series

Introduced in 1990, the Silver Kookaburra series features another iconic Australian bird, with a new design each year. The Kookaburra coin series is available in a variety of sizes, each with a silver purity of 99.99%. In 2020, the Perth Mint celebrated its 30th anniversary since its first issuance of the Kookaburra series with several special releases, including a Two-Ounce Silver Proof Gilded High-Resolution $2 coin.

Other Collector Series

The Perth Mint frequently produces movie and character-themed coins such as Star Wars™, Star Trek™, and 007™ James Bond coins, both in silver and gold versions.

Other Notable Commemorative & Themed Collector Coins

Finally, the Perth Mint is known for producing commemorative coins. A recent and notable example is the 150th Anniversary of the completion of the Overland Telegraph coin and the 125th Anniversary of the Perth Mint coin. The Overland Telegraph coin was issued in 2022 in collaboration with the Australia Post and made with an aluminum-bronze alloy. The 125th Anniversary of the Perth Mint coin is a one ounce silver bullion coin issued in 2024 that celebrates the 125 years of operation of the Perth Mint.

10 Things You May Not Know About Gold

1. Gold is incredibly scarce-so much so that all the world's gold could be compressed into an 18-yard cube. That's about 1/10 the mass of the Washington Monument!

2. Gold is also harder to find than diamonds. Statistically, you're more likely to find a five-carat diamond than you are a one-ounce gold nugget.

3.  Gold is also incredibly useful. It's used in spacecraft windows and astronaut helmets to reflect infrared rays, and is even liquefied and injected into the muscles of thousands of rheumatoid arthritis victims in the United States.

4.  We've all heard of digging or panning for gold, but 25 tons of gold can be found in every cubic mile of sea water. Unfortunately, there's no way to economically recover it.

5.  We've been in love with gold for a long, long time. It's believed that we first discovered gold nearly 5,000 years ago.

6.  Hungry? Edible gold might be on the menu. The most expensive dessert ever was the Frrrozen Haute Chocolate ice cream sundae, sold in New York in 2007. It cost $25,000 and contained five grams of edible 23-karat gold.

7. When humans dig for gold, we dig deep. The deepest gold mine in the world is Mponeng in South Africa. It's 2.5 miles deep-that's 10 Empire State Buildings.

8. Not counting arthritis victims, the average human body contains about 0.2 milligrams of gold—most of it in our blood.

9. In 2013, researchers stated that earthquakes may be responsible for up to 80 percent of the world's gold deposits.

10.  One of the reasons we put our trust (and money) in gold is that it never rusts.