Information about effigy: Queen Elizabeth II - Portrait by Susanna Blunt

The second effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by a Canadian artist (after the one by Dora de Pédery-Hunt introduced in 1990) was designed by Susanna Blunt. It has been in use on Canadian coins since 2003.

The portrait shows the Queen facing right. She is bare headed (not crowned) and wears a pearl necklace; it recalls the effigy of King George VI, who also chose to be portrayed without a crown.

The Royal Canadian Mint describes the portrait thus:
A more mature and less formal portrait of Her Majesty has graced Canada’s coins since 2003.

Back in 2002, several artists were invited to take part in a design competition for a new effigy. The winning submission came from Vancouver-based artist Susanna Blunt, whose portrait was introduced the following year to mark The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.

Simplicity makes this one stand out from the rest. Like her father, King George VI, The Queen chose to be portrayed without a crown, instead wearing a simple string of pearls and pearl stud earrings.

The effigy exudes both poise and strength - two qualities that have defined Her Majesty’s reign. It’s a more modern representation of the long-reigning Queen of Canada.