Bank of Canada Museum marks 50th anniversary of the Montréal Olympics with an exhibition on Canada’s historic Olympic Coin Program

Search the site Search FR Change theme Change theme Change theme Change theme Bank of Canada Museum marks 50th anniversary of the Montréal Olympics with an exhibition on Canada’s historic Olympic Coin Program FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario May 7, 2026 Share this page on Facebook Share this page on Facebook Share this page on X Share this page on X Share this page on LinkedIn Share this page on LinkedIn Share this page by email Share this page by email Step back into the excitement and pride of Canada’s first Olympic Games as the Bank of Canada Museum opens Montréal 1976: The legacy of the Olympic coins . This new exhibition explores how special collector coins helped fund the Montréal 1976 Olympics and became enduring symbols of national ambition and artistry. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Montréal Games, the exhibition tells the remarkable story of one of the largest and most ambitious commemorative coin programs ever created. Between 1973 and 1976, Canadians supported the Games by purchasing specially designed silver and gold coins—turning public enthusiasm into a powerful fundraising effort that raised a record-breaking $108 million. “The Olympic Coin Program was novel in several ways,” said Curator David Bergeron. “Not only was it the first coin program created to support a major national project in Canada, but the coins themselves were the first ever struck in a large format to feature the spectacular designs from several Canadian artists.” The exhibition uses remarkable objects—many on display for the first time—engaging storytelling and hands-on experiences to reveal how the coin program came to life and captured the imagination of Canadians. Visitors will discover how the coins were conceived, produced and collected and how this ambitious initiative transformed public enthusiasm for the Games into an unprecedented national fundraising effort. Highlights include complete sets from the Montréal Olympic Coin Program, including gold coins, as well as production material and public design submissions. An interactive design station invites visitors to create their own Olympic coin and add it to a collective display. Montréal 1976: The legacy of the Olympic coins opens May 7, 2026, at the Bank of Canada Museum, and will be on view until March 22, 2027. Admission to the Museum is always free. Back to top We use cookies to help us keep improving this website.