Canadian 10-Cent Desjardins Silver Coin

2000 (1900-) Canadian 10-Cent Desjardins Birth of Credit Unions in North America 100th Anniv Proof Silver Coin In 1900, Alphonse Desjardins founded Canada's Savings and Credit Union in Levis, Quebec. His house "Maison Desjardins", illustrated on the ten cent coin, was the site of the first Caisse Populaire. This sterling silver proof 10-cent coin is struck to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Caisse Populaire (a major, private Canadian Banking Institution). The mintage on this piece is limted to 70,000 coins worldwide. However, only a small fraction of that number is available in the collectors' market, due to the purchase of almost 50,000 coins by the Caisse Populaire for their own use and for their customers. Design The 19th Century building on the reverse of the coin is the first branch of the bank, and the 10-cent denomination was chosen because the first deposit in 1900 made at the Caisse Populaire was a 10-cent coin. Packaging 2000 (1900-) Canadian 10-Cent Desjardins Birth of Credit Unions in North America 100th Anniv Proof Silver Coin comes encapsulated and presented in commemorative graphic folder. Specifications Face Value: 10 cents Mintage: 69,791 Composition: 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper Weight (g): 2.4 Diameter(mm): 18.0 Finish: Proof