HOCKEY! - That is always one of the first things you hear when you ask someone what comes to their mind when they hear the word "Canada". Well... along with maple syrup, friendliness, beavers and igloos.  Being invented in Canada, and being the country's national winter sport, It makes sense that Canada would be Extremely good at it. Having won 13 Olympic gold medals and 20 medals overall, Canada’s Men’s and Women’s ice hockey teams are clearly the greatest hockey powerhouses that the world has ever witnessed.

Hockey has long since been a favourite sport of Canada, and most certainly one of its most popular. You will be hard pressed to find any person who has grown up in Canada who has not played the great sport at least once. According to a survey done by the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) in 2012, Canada has the largest percentage of registered hockey players of any country in the world. Their stats show that 1.8% of the Canadian population is a registered hockey player, it may seem like a small number but it towers over other hockey playing nations such as the United States, Russia and Finland, with 0.16%, 0.04% and 1.30% respectively. Despite the fact that ice hockey is the most expensive sport in Canada, with the cost of all the equipment and gear it is still the second most popular youth sport, next to soccer, which costs merely a fraction of what ice hockey costs.

In 2002 the Royal Canadian Mint released a set of National Olympic coins, to commemorate the 19^th Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Out of all the coins, the most significant of them was the Men’s Ice hockey quarter. It had displayed an image of an Ice hockey player with both hands in the air, celebrating Canada’s victory. Behind the player in the background there was a massive red maple leaf. Alongside that were the words “Men’s Hockey Masculin 2002” were engraved beside the player. This coin is extremely symbolic of Canada’s passion for hockey and perfectly illustrates our victory over our [hockey] rivals, The United States. The exact same was done for the women’s Olympic ice hockey coin. It featured 2 female hockey players with sticks raised in the air, celebrating victory, with a giant, bright red maple leaf in the background. Both coins sporting the logo of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

In 2010 the Royal Canadian mint again, released winter Olympic coins to celebrate the games coming to Vancouver. The hockey coins however, were not nearly as exciting as the 2002 coins. They did not feature any vivid colors of the bright red Canadian flag. Instead it simply displayed a hockey player wielding the puck, with a half outline of the maple leaf in the background. No celebration, no bright colours. This is why I chose the 2002 Men’s and women’s ice hockey quarters as my souvenirs; I believe that the 2002 ones show more emotion, patriotism and passion by capturing the players in their moment of victory.

The Canadian Olympic ice hockey coins (specifically the 2002 ones) capture a major part of Canadian sport culture, and help to immortalize some of Canada’s most glorious and memorable Olympic moments. Theses coins are entirely shaped by our nation’s passion for the sport. The best time to witness an explosion of national patriotism for any country is during the Olympic Games. Even more so is within the country that is hosting the games. During the 2010 winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, there was an outburst of over the top ‘patriotism’ being shown by Canadians who were cheering on their national athletes.

John Honderich of the Toronto Star said that “after witnessing a trifecta of Canadian Olympic sites – Montreal (1976), Calgary (1988) and now Vancouver – I can attest to the total difference in ecstasy and expression exhibited at these games.  It seems there was a huge pent-up desire on our part to finally let go on what it means and feels to be Canadian.”

It is true that after becoming the only country to host both the winter and summer Olympic Games and not win a single gold medal, Canada had a lot to prove at the 2010 games. After its 14 gold medals (the most of that winter games) and 26 total medals (third most of that games) Canada had definitely redeemed itself of any shame felt in Montreal or Calgary.

“Time and again, you'd come across a group spontaneously breaking out into "O Canada," be it at a fine Italian restaurant, a men's curling final, or gawking at the Olympic torch outside the broadcast center.” – John Honderich – Toronto Star.

According to CTV, an astonishing 98% of Canadians watched some part of the 2010 Vancouver games, while an estimated 26 million Canadians watch a portion of the Gold medal winning ice hockey game; the highest Canadian audience for any Olympic games on record.

The Canadian Olympic hockey coins are a national symbol that express Canada’s excellence and passion for the sport of hockey, it shows our support for our nation as we come together and cheer on our countrymen and countrywomen.