1.4429 ozt Cobalt 60th Anniv. 999 Silver

Material and Origin: The medal is struck from .999 pure silver, mined and refined in Cobalt, Canada, which was known as the "Richest Silver Camp in the World". 

Production: The medal states that over five hundred million ounces of silver were produced from the Cobalt area to date (as of 1963). Historically, the Cobalt mining district produced 460 million ounces of silver in total. 

This is a 1963 Cobalt, Ontario, 60th Anniversary .999 silver medallion, commemorating the period from 1903 to 1963. 

Cobalt experienced a major silver rush starting in 1903, which led to the town's growth and significant silver production.

"Key to the North": The phrase "Key to the North" reflects Cobalt's importance as a gateway and catalyst for further mineral exploration and development in Northern Ontario, leading to discoveries in places like Kirkland Lake and Timmins. 

Cobalt, Ontario, is known as the "birthplace of Canadian hard rock mining," where a silver boom in 1903 transformed the area into a major mining center, eventually becoming the silver capital of the world and contributing significantly to the development of the Canadian mining and financial industries. After the silver mines declined in the 1930s, the town faced hardship, but it remains a National Historic Site with a future focused on tourism, leveraging its rich history and unique landscape for visitors. 

The Rise of the Silver Capital

Discovery:
In 1903, lumberjacks Ernest Darragh and James McKinley discovered a silver vein while preparing timbers for the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway. 

Boom Town:
This discovery led to a mining rush, and by 1910, the Cobalt district was the fourth-largest silver producer in the world, yielding 460 million ounces of silver in total. 

Economic Impact:
The prosperity from silver mining fueled the development of the mining and financial sectors across Canada, with professionals and capital from Cobalt expanding into other regions like Quebec and Ontario. 

Decline and Legacy

Shifting Focus:
By the 1930s, the easily accessible surface ore was depleted, and declining silver prices made operations less profitable. 

Shift to Gold:
Many skilled workers and capital moved to areas with more lucrative gold deposits, such as Kirkland Lake and Porcupine, leaving Cobalt to become a depressed region. 

Modern-Day Cobalt:
Designated Ontario's Most Historic Town and a Parks Canada National Historic Site, Cobalt now focuses on tourism, with attractions like the Cobalt Northern Ontario Mining Museum and the annual Miners' Festival. 

Key Landmarks

Cobalt Mining District National Historic Site:
Visitors can explore the landscape, which still shows remnants of mining operations, including open-cuts, headframes, and rockpiles. 

Heritage Silver Trail:
This trail allows visitors to discover historic mining sites, including the Glory Hole, an open-pit mine filled with water. 

Content: 44.88 grams of .999 fine silver

Mint: Wellings Mint, Toronto

Weight: 44.88 g or 1.44292 ozt fine siver

Diameter: 40 mm

Thickness: 4 mm

Purity: 99.9%

Year: 1963