| As soon as the coin was in circulation,
it was noted that the mast height and rigging were
identical to those of the celebrated racing ship,
the Bluenose. Apparently, Emanuel Hahn developed his
design from photos of the famous schooner, which symbolized
both the magnitude of the fishing industry in Canada
and the maritime skills of Canadians.
The Bluenose was not only a racing schooner, but also
one of the great fishing vessels that helped build
the reputation of the Grand Banks fishery.
Strangely, the history of the Bluenose began almost
by accident in 1920. The first in the chain of events
leading to its construction was the cancellation of
the America's Cup race because of bad weather. The
Halifax Herald then decided to organize a
competition between Canadian and U.S. schooners. In
the first contest held that autumn, Canada was defeated
by the United States.
Nova Scotia’s pride had been bruised, and plans
for revenge were soon brewing. Senator William H.
Dennis and his moneyed Halifax friends decided to
build a craft that would not only beat the Americans,
but also stand as a symbol of Nova Scotian sailing
superiority. They would name her Bluenose, after the
traditional nickname for Nova Scotians.
The 143-foot ship was launched in March 1921. To the
experienced eye, the Bluenose possessed several distinctive
features, but the source of her speed was always a
subject of debate. On her inaugural voyage, the Bluenose
proved faster than anyone could have hoped for or
thought possible. With 10,000 square feet of sails,
the schooner rode the wind like a dolphin. In the
autumn of 1921, the Bluenose won the coveted Halifax
Herald trophy for Canada. The United States had
been defeated, and overnight, the schooner was transformed
into a national symbol.
The Bluenose’s end was a sad one. Powered vessels,
steel hulls, and the demise of the schooner fishery
made her a relic of a former age. Captain Angus Walters
tried to have the Bluenose declared a national treasure
and borrowed money to keep her afloat, but he was
finally forced to sell. During World War II, she carried
freight in the Caribbean. Then, on 28 January 1946,
word reached Nova Scotia that the Bluenose had struck
a reef off the coast of Haiti. Angus Walters wanted
to fly to Haiti to direct salvage operations, but
the news was mixed, misinformation and confusion prevented
action, and the Bluenose went down. Not so much as
a splinter of the wreckage has ever been found.
The schooner motif on the Canadian dime, struck for
the first time in 1937, is the work of Emanuel Hahn.
It is a fitting tribute to the time when "iron
men" sailed the seas in "wooden ships."
For more information on the Fishing Schooner symbol,
see the following sources:
Royal Canadian Mint: www.mint.ca
Marquis, Yvon (1985), La monnaie canadienne, page
34
Histor!ca - Heritage Minutes: www.histori.ca
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