How to tell a genuine Gold Maple Leaf

The Gold Maple Leaf (GML) is the Royal Canadian Mint's 99.99% pure gold bullion coin [1]. The Mint builds anti-counterfeiting features into it. Two of them you can see for yourself. The best protection is to buy from an authorized dealer.

Two security features you can see

The Royal Canadian Mint's security features on the Gold Maple Leaf include precise radial lines and a micro-engraved maple leaf [1][2].

1. Radial lines

Fine lines run outward across the background (the "field") of the coin. The Mint says they are "precisely machined to within microns" on the master tooling [1]. Because the line width and spacing are so exact, they create a light-diffracting pattern specific to this coin [1].

2. The micro-engraved maple leaf

On a small area of the reverse (the maple leaf side) there is a tiny textured maple leaf, micro-engraved by laser [1]. On the 2026 coin, the numeral "26" sits in the centre of this mark. It is visible under magnification and shows the year of issue [1].

What you can check: use a jeweller's loupe or magnifier. Find the small leaf mark and look for the two-digit year in its centre. It should match the year on the coin.

Specifications to compare

For the 2026 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf, the Royal Canadian Mint lists [1]:

| Feature | Specification |
| ----------- | --------------- |
| Composition | 99.99% pure gold |
| Weight | 31.11 g |
| Diameter | 30 mm |
| Face value | $50 (CAD) |
| Edge | Serrated |
| Finish | Radial lines |

What you can check: weigh the coin on an accurate scale and measure its diameter with calipers. A coin that is far off on weight or size is a warning sign.

Other features on recent coins

The Mint introduced MintShield in 2018. The Mint describes it as a solution for reducing white spots [2].

Why buy from an authorized distributor

The Mint advises buying Gold Maple Leafs through registered dealers [2].

Border Gold Corp. is a Royal Canadian Mint authorized distributor and, we are proud to say, one of the Mint's largest in Canada.

Sources

  1. Royal Canadian Mint, 2026 Gold Maple Leaf, 1 oz 99.99% pure gold coin (bullion): https://www.mint.ca/en-us/shopping/archives/2026/2025-gml-1-oz-9999-pure-gold-coin-bullion
  2. Royal Canadian Mint, Why Choose the Mint: https://www.mint.ca/en-us/get-into-bullion/why-choose-the-mint