Dubai: The world's largest gold coin, a 2007 C$1 million Maple Leaf, is to be auctioned at Vienna's Dorotheum on June 25.
The Maple Leaf weighs a staggering 100 kilogrammes and measures 53 centimetres in diameter. But the most remarkable thing about this impressive coin, which cannot be lifted by two men, is that it is made exclusively of the purest, finest and most refined 999.99/1000 gold.
The world record-breaking coin, which is also listed in the current edition of the Guinness Book of Records, bears the image of Elizabeth II, the largest official portrait of the Queen in solid gold. The back shows three maple leaves, the national symbol of Canada, where the coin was minted.
The face value of C$1 million is far below the current gold price. The starting price will be based on the daily gold rate, the Dorotheum said.
This gigantic Maple Leaf was on loan to the Munzkabinett of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, which houses one of the largest numismatic collections in the world. The coin has now been entrusted to the Dorotheum.
The Dorotheum, the leading auction house in central Europe, has been holding important auctions of historic coins for more than 200 years.
