Royal Canadian Mint numismatic coins (2000–2019)

From 2000 to 2019, there were various technological achievements in Canadian coin minting. The first RCM gold coin to be directly laser etched was the $100 Gold Leduc Oil Fields coin from 2002. The technique would later be used for the 2003 $100 Gold Marquis Wheat coin and the 2004 $20 Iceberg coin. In 2001, the RCM achieved innovation with the 2001 Marconi $5 silver coin. It was the first RCM coin to include a direct lasered finish. One of the technological breakthroughs for the RCM involved the 2006 Canadian Achievement series silver coin featuring Colonel Chris Hadfield. It was the first Canadian coin to be completely sculpted using computer software.

The Northern Lights $20 silver coin was the first RCM hologram coin to feature a hologram without a raised border and, therefore, no delineation. The hologram merges with the engraved relief of the mountains. In 2006, the $30 Canadarm coin was the first Canadian coin to be completely sculpted using computer software. Technically, it was a complex design to render, due to the depiction of the closed glass visor and the complicated features of the Canadarm.