St. John's 
The Royal Canadian Mint is commemorating the inspiring legacy of Elsie MacGill, a pioneering engineer and women’s rights champion, with a new $1 circulation coin.
Credit: Royal Canadian Mint
MacGill, who set many firsts for women in engineering, was instrumental in establishing the Canadian production of the Hawker Hurricane fighter plane during World War II. Moreover, her zealous advocacy for women’s rights was evident in her appointment to the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in 1967.
The coin, designed by Claire Watson, a Tofino, British Columbia artist, features a thoughtful tribute to MacGill’s significant contributions.
The reverse side showcases MacGill, blueprint in hand, alongside the Maple Leaf Trainer II, an aircraft she designed and one of over 1,450 Canadian-made Hawker Hurricane fighter planes she produced for the Allies in World War II. Underneath the fighter plane, her name, “Elsie MacGill,” is engraved, acknowledging her role as the Chief Engineer of Canadian Car and Foundry in Fort William, Ontario, and cementing her status as the “Queen of the Hurricanes.”
The obverse presents an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Credit: Royal Canadian Mint
MacGill holds numerous distinctions: she was the first Canadian woman to earn an Electrical Engineering Bachelor’s degree (University of Toronto, 1927); the first North American woman to achieve a Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering (University of Michigan, 1929); the first Canadian woman to become a practising engineer (1938); and the first woman globally to design and produce an aircraft prototype – the Maple Leaf II trainer. Despite contracting polio in 1929, MacGill excelled in aeronautics, and from 1938 to 1943, she led the Canadian Car and Foundry plant in producing over 1,450 Hawker Hurricanes. Post-war, MacGill contributed to civil aviation safety standards while championing women’s rights, highlighting her exceptional legacy.
“Through her dedication and an unshakeable belief that there was nothing women could not do, Elsie MacGill broke the glass ceiling for Canadian women pursuing careers in engineering, and made historic contributions to Canada’s efforts during the Second World War,” said Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in a news release.
“I am so pleased that this commemorative coin will honour the legacy of a remarkable champion of women’s rights, and will share her story with a new generation of Canadians.”
For Collectors
Credit: Royal Canadian Mint
Starting today, the Royal Canadian Mint is circulating three million new $1 coins, including two million coloured ones, in honour of Elsie MacGill.
A six-piece Collector Keepsake coin set, featuring both coloured and uncoloured coins and 2023-dated circulation coins from five cents to two dollars, is available as collectibles.
Additional Elsie MacGill collector items include limited-edition special wrap rolls of 25 uncirculated coins($54.95) and a commemorative Collector Keepsake Card ($24.95).
Interested buyers can order these collectibles online, via telephone (1-800-267-1871), at the Mint’s outlets in Ottawa and Winnipeg, or at participating Canada Post outlets.
If you instead try your luck, the circulation coin might reach you through change via bank branches and businesses.
