Mint’s newest coin showcases famous Falcon Lake UFO encounter in Manitoba
One may very well be forgiven for describing the mint’s latest coin as fairly otherworldly.
The Royal Canadian Mint’s latest providing options Manitoba’s most well-known UFO encounter, which occurred in 1967 when Stefan Michalak went on the lookout for valuable metals close to Falcon Lake.
“I used to be very shocked, frankly. They known as me out of the blue and mentioned ‘I’ve this concept,'” mentioned Stefan’s son, Stan Michalak.
“It is not daily the mint calls and says, ‘Hey, we will do a coin.'”
Stefan, whom his son says was a “rock nut,” was looking for gold, silver and different valuable metals and gems in Whiteshell Provincial Park one Might lengthy weekend in 1967. At about midday, two craft appeared within the sky, he mentioned, and one landed about 50 metres away from Stefan on a flat rocky space.
The opposite craft left, however the first stayed, mentioned Stefan. He noticed it from the bush for about half an hour earlier than approaching it.
“In his thoughts, he reasoned, ‘This should be some form of a army experimental craft. They’ve landed right here by mistake or possibly out of want. Perhaps they’re in bother,'” mentioned Stan. “‘I am going to supply to assist them out.'”
When Stefan approached the craft, which he later described as saucer-shaped and manufactured from a chrome steel materials, he touched it and the warmth melted the fingertips of his heavy gloves. There was a gap he put his head by, mentioned Stan, however he did not enter.
The craft then expelled a cloud of fuel and lifted off, knocking Stefan off his toes, setting his shirt aflame and leaving a definite sample of burns on his chest.
The coin reveals the second the craft lifted from the rock, with a determine mendacity on the bottom with a hand within the air, as if to ward one thing off. In the dead of night, the craft on the coin glows, as does the fuel coming from the ship.
The coin is ovoid and makes use of extra colors than historically present in a coin, mentioned Stan.
“They despatched me a proof that had their authentic thought, which was form of cute,” mentioned Stan. “Initially, it was going to have alien eyes on it, so it seemed like the form of an alien head.”
Erica Maga, product supervisor for the coin, mentioned the thought got here to the crew throughout their annual analysis.
“We thought it was such an attention-grabbing story that it was one which we needed to share with Canadians,” mentioned Maga. “Everyone seems to be form of fascinated by this subject material and we thought it could make a very attention-grabbing coin design.”
The coin has been in manufacturing for just a few months however went on sale Monday, mentioned Maga. The coin’s egg form, whereas uncommon, was additionally used for cash with a sizzling air balloon and that includes Ukranian pysanka.
Maga confirmed one of many earliest designs featured glow-in-the-dark alien eyes.
“We had talked round numerous actually wacky concepts and attention-grabbing ideas for this one, however ultimately, we needed to try to keep as devoted and true to the story as we may.”
Regardless of the Manitoba connection, the coin is being minted in Ottawa as a substitute of Winnipeg, mentioned Alex Reeves, exterior communications advisor for The Mint. The Winnipeg facility does forex cash, whereas the Ottawa facility focuses on collector cash.
Stan, who co-wrote a book about his father’s encounter, mentioned he hopes the coin helps finish his household’s saga.
“We simply determined to place this to relaxation, and I feel the mint, giving me a name and saying ‘Now we have this concept,’ I feel it simply places the ribbon on the field to lastly shut it eternally.”
The $20 authorized tender coin might be ordered from the mint’s website. It retails for $129.95.
