MONTREAL, QUEBEC – November 17, 2009 – The Royal Canadian Mint is inviting Canadians to save the latest circulation coin in its Vancouver 2010 collection – the 25-cent coin celebrating the women's hockey gold at Salt Lake City in 2002. The launch of the coin was commemorated today at a special event for local hockey youth with special guests including member of the 2002 women's Olympic hockey team, Danielle Goyette and members of the Montreal Juniors Hockey Club.

"Canada's women's hockey team demonstrated the true meaning of spirit and determination when they won the gold medal on February 21, 2002, which triggered celebrations from coast to coast to coast," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Employees of the Mint are

extremely proud to have produced a coin commemorating this extraordinary moment in Canadian Winter Olympic Games history."

Canada did not allow a goal in the preliminary round, while USA allowed only one goal. Canada trailed 3–2 to Finland going into the third period, but score 5 unanswered goals to advance to the final. USA had a fairly uneventful semi-final, shutting out Sweden.

The turning point of the game probably came when Canada's Jayna Hefford scored with one second left in the second period to give the Canadians a 3–1 lead going into the third period. This turned out to be the winning goal as the USA scored late in the third period on the power play to cut the lead to 3–2, but Canada hung on to win.

It was the first women's hockey gold for Canada. Coming into the game, the Americans were 35–0 on their season, and had beaten the Canadians in their eight previous meetings. Canadian Hayley Wickenheiser was named tournament MVP.

The women's hockey gold medal at Salt Lake City was voted by fans as the #2 Canadian Winter Olympic Games Moment of all time – out of 10 moments – in an online contest hosted earlier this year by the Mint and Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium. The top three moments will be featured on 25-cent coins. Coming in at #1 was the men's hockey gold medal at Salt Lake City 2002 (coin launched on September 29th) and Cindy Klassen was voted as moment #3 and her five long track speed skating medals at Turin 2006. This coin will be launched into circulation on January 5, 2010.

Designed by Burlington, Ontario artist Jason Bouwman, the 25-cent coin celebrating the women's hockey gold medal at Salt Lake City in 2002 features two hockey players celebrating their victory, on the backdrop of a maple leaf. The words ‘women's hockey féminin', the year ‘2002' and the logo of the Canadian Olympic Committee also appear on the reverse of the coin. The three million coloured 25-cent coins, which were produced using state-of-the-art patented technology at the Mint's Winnipeg facility, feature the maple leaf in brilliant red colour.

n addition to the third moment coin, Canadians can look forward to the release of the remaining 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games themed circulation coins: the 2010 Lucky Loonie coin will be launched on the first day of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games (February 12, 2010), while the 25-cent coin featuring the sport of sledge hockey will be launched during the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games (March 18, 2010).

Other Olympic related pages:

Newsletter #188
Mint Releases Cindy Klassen Quarter

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