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The E-Sylum: Volume 18, Number 19, May 10, 2015, Article 25

LAURIE KOSS DESIGNS CANADA'S 2015 $20 COIN

Local newspapers can be a great source of information on coin designers, particularly in this age of modern commemorative coin production. This article from the Kelowna Capital News of British Columbia interviews painter Laurie Koss and her daughter Sarah about Laurie's design for the new 2015 $20 coin from the Royal Canadian Mint. -Editor

Sarah and Laurie Koss with flower painting Call it a premonition, coincidence or just plain fate.

But when nine-year-old Sarah Koss read a story about a young girl's father who painted the design for a coin, she thought that would be very cool if that happened to her.

That was 14 years ago. But the story stuck with her.

Now 23, that story did in fact play out in Sarah's life. Last year her mom—Kelowna painter Laurie Koss—was asked by the Royal Canadian Mint to submit a painting of a flower for the design of the 2015 $20 fine silver coin. This week that painting, reproduced on a collector's coin, was released by the Mint as part of a series featuring some of Canada's most beloved flowers.

"I used to read American Girl magazine all the time and I still have piles of them in the basement," said Sarah this week of the story that stuck with her. "That was the one article that really stood out to me. I just thought it was so cool."

The release of the silver coin—a collector's item that retails for $119.95—comes less than a year after Koss also designed a stamp for Canada Post.

Both the stamp and the coin feature Koss' trademark floral paintings. After this year's stamp was released featuring a pansy, Koss designed the coin painting a flower known as a black-eyed Susan with twelve bright yellow petals spread out from the prominent dark brown centre.

Once the coin was released this week, Sarah posted a status on Facebook about her earlier experience of reading that story as a child and her wish that one of her parents could make that happen for her.

She called it a dream come true. And mom Laurie was thrilled.

"The fact my daughter would read a story at age nine and to actually have it come true is bizarre," said Laurie. "It just warmed my heart to read that. It's hard to describe my feelings. I'm very honoured and a little choked up. I feel incredibly blessed."

Communication of launch & advertising dates to Dealers & Distributors The 2015 Black Eyed Susan, with crystal dew drops, coin is available at any post office or at mint.ca.

Dew drops! So that's what those things are. Whose idea was that? They don't seem to add anything to the coin, and in my opinion detract from the basic flower design. Maybe they look better when seen in person, but they seem like intrusive trinkets. Otherwise, a nice, clean design. -Editor

To read the complete article, see:
Kelowna mom and daughter united over Royal Canadian Mint coin (www.kelownacapnews.com/news/303079331.html)



Wayne Homren, Editor

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The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com

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