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2004 $20 Silver Coin - Sambro
Island Lighthouse
traddled by two oceans
and home to some of the largest lakes in the world,
North America is a continent of lighthouses. They seem a
natural part of the maritime landscape, comforting
residents, attracting tourists and safeguarding captain
and crew every time a ship passes by. In their ceaseless
vigil, lighthouses echo the steadfast spirit of the sea.
This exciting new collection begins with the oldest
working lighthouse on the continent – the Sambro Island
Lighthouse, located in the port of Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
During the 18th century, ships that sailed into
Halifax faced a dangerous proposition. The port was
often fogged in and more than 30 shoals lay in wait -
with no lighthouse to show the way. In 1758, a tower was
built on Sambro Island. With a fixed oil lamp burning at
35.1 m (115 ft) above sea level, it was a small match
for port conditions, but over the next 200 years, its
performance steadily improved.
Today, the tower is 25 m (82 ft) high. With it’s
original granite walls still visible inside, Sambro
shines as the oldest working lighthouse in North
America. As the first lifesaving beacon to be featured
in the Lighthouse Collection, the 2004 $20 Silver Coin –
Sambro Island Lighthouse is one coin you absolutely must
own!
High-tech minting technique accentuates the stripes
that were added to the tower in 1908 to make it more
visible in the snow.
Limited
to 25,000 sets worldwide.
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