Canada just got a new coin celebrating Black History Month, and it honours a historic Vancouver community.
The Royal Canadian Mint revealed its 2025 Fine Silver Commemorating Black History collector coin, which celebrates Hogan’s Alley, a Black community that thrived in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood until the early 1970s.
The area became home to porters working for the nearby Great Northern Railway station, families, and entrepreneurs of all kinds who ran small businesses, entertainment venues, and some of Vancouver’s favourite restaurants.
Disadvantaged by inequitable city planning policies, Hogan’s Alley was eventually demolished to make way for a road viaduct project.
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A new generation is reviving the lost community. Its spirit is depicted in the Mint’s new coin.
“As we work towards recreating a hub for Black communities in Metro Vancouver, it is important to learn about the historic Black presence and contributions that shaped our city,” said Djaka Blais, executive director of Hogan’s Alley Society.
“This commemorative coin is a meaningful acknowledgment of the history and spirit of Hogan’s Alley, and we hope it inspires ongoing efforts to honour and restore the legacy of this vibrant community.”
The design
Royal Canadian Mint
Artist Kwame Delfish designed the reverse of the coin. Engraved in the centre is British Columbia’s provincial flower, the Pacific Dogwood. It’s surrounded by symbolic figures like a cook at one of the famed women-owned chicken house restaurants, a Black railway sleeping car porter, a choir representing the African Methodist Episcopal Fountain Chapel, two different types of dancers, as well as a pianist, saxophonist and singer, representing the incredible talent of the community’s nightclubs and speakeasies.
The obverse features a maple leaf pattern and the effigy of King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.
Royal Canadian Mint
“This coin pays homage to the vibrant community of Hogan’s Alley. While housing discrimination played an integral role in the settlement of Black Canadians as primary residents of this neighbourhood, it only tells part of the story. As an Afro-Caribbean designer, it was necessary for me to ground this piece in the rich culture and entrepreneurial prowess of this tenacious community,” explained Delfish.
How you can collect this coin
Royal Canadian Mint
The $20 Fine Silver Coin is limited to a mintage of 5,000 coins.
Since it’s a collectible and not a circulation coin, it will cost you a pretty penny. One retails for $119.95 on the Mint’s site.
You can order it online or over the phone at 1-800-267–1871 in Canada or 1-800-268–6468 in the US.
It will also be available at the Mint’s boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, at participating Canada Post outlets, and through the Mint’s global network of dealers and distributors.