Canada has a new ornate coin celebrating Black History Month
Canada just got a new coin to commemorate Black History Month, and you can collect it for a pretty penny.
The Royal Canadian Mint released the 2026 $20 Fine Silver Coin — Commemorating Black History: Adinkra Symbols this week, which pays homage to the ancestral heritage of Ghana’s Akan people.
According to the Mint, its visual iconography expressing values, proverbs and historical wisdom has had a strong influence on West African culture and holds important meaning for many Black Canadians.
“It is important to the Royal Canadian Mint that our coins help tell a more complete story of Canada by touching on diverse themes that highlight the experiences and cultural heritage of the many people who call Canada home,” said Simon Kamel, interim president and CEO of the Mint.
Royal Canadian Mint
The design
The reverse of the 99.99 per cent pure silver collector coin was designed by Canadian artist Kwame Delfish.
It features three concentric rings of traditional Adinkra motifs encircling a maple leaf in the centre, which represents Canada.
The innermost ring is made up of a repeating vertical pairing of two Mpatapo symbols, the peace knot of reconciliation.
The second ring features a repeating pattern of Adinkra symbols representing the divinity of Mother Earth, unity in diversity, and the Mekyia Wo symbol of respect and greeting.
Royal Canadian Mint
The outermost ring is anchored at the cardinal points by the maple leaf atop two Mpatapo symbols, while each quadrant displays symbols representing unity and human relations.
“As an artist of Caribbean descent, I am deeply connected to the Adinkra symbols and the ancestral wisdom they carry from West Africa. Each symbol speaks to values of strength, unity, and purpose that continue to guide our communities today,” said Delfish.
“Initially, I envisioned this design in a square arrangement to pay homage to the Adinkra cloth from which these symbols derived. However, as the design evolved, it became clear the circular arrangement would mirror the continuity of culture, connection, and collective resilience.”
Royal Canadian Mint
The obverse side of the coin features the effigy of King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati, surrounded by a maple leaf pattern.
How Canadians can collect this coin
Royal Canadian Mint
Collectors can buy the coin — which has a limited mintage of 5,000 worldwide — on the Mint’s site or over the phone at 1-800-267–1871 in Canada, 1-800-268–6468 in the U.S.
It’s definitely an investment as it’ll cost you $199.95 to add it to your collection.
If you’re more of a casual coin collector, there are other coins that could land in your change. Towards the end of 2025, the Mint released two circulation toonies — one in honour of Indigenous artist Daphne Odig and another for Remembrance Day.