THE ROYAL CANADIAN MINT REDEFINES RARE WITH THE OPULENCE COLLECTION FEATURING EXQUISITE PINK DIAMONDS FROM THE ARGYLE MINE

OTTAWA,ON,May 4,2022 -- Today,the Royal Canadian Mint launches the Opulence Collection,exclusive numismatic masterpieces of exceptional craftsmanship featuring some of the world's rarest precious stones: pink diamonds from the famed Argyle mine. These jewels are the crowning element of pure gold and platinum coins that truly redefine rare. This new collection,headlined by the one-of-a-kind Ultimate,a one-kilo pure platinum pink diamond coin,was unveiled today at the Ottawa Art Gallery.

From right to left: Marie Lemay,President and CEO,Royal Canadian Mint; Humara,Rana,Director,Product Development,Royal Canadian Mint; David Heffel,President,Heffel Fine Art Auction House; Itay Ariel,Executive Director,Sales & Operations,Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd.; and John Vaccaro,Owner,Beverly Hills Jewellers at the launch of the Mint’s Opulence Collection in Ottawa,2022.

"The Royal Canadian Mint's reputation for crafting coins of exceptional sophistication and artistry is known to collectors around the world," Marie Lemay,President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Celebrating the talent and imagination of our people through precious metal and fine art is our passion,as well as our trademark. We are proud that our new Opulence Collection takes our tradition of excellence to a whole new level."

To premiere this new exclusive collection,the Mint has partnered with Heffel Fine Art Auction House to sell The Ultimate,the collection's most prestigious showpiece. It will be offered at a live auction on May 31,2022.

"Heffel is honoured to offer collectors the opportunity to acquire this rare,one-of-a-kind treasure,in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mint and Argyle mine" said David Heffel,Heffel Fine Art Auction House. "The Ultimate is truly a work of art,and its intricate design and mesmerizing beauty will undoubtedly capture the attention of passionate collectors and enthusiasts across the world."

Collectors interested in bidding on The Ultimate can registerfor the auction with Heffel.

About the Opulence Collection

The Opulence Collection,featuring pink diamond coins in its inaugural year,is the result of an exciting collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mint and Crossworks Manufacturing,a Canadian company and Authorized Partner of Argyle Pink Diamonds. With Rio Tinto's Argyle mine closing in 2020,the pink diamonds adorning the pure gold and platinum coins are among the rarest in the world,making the pieces truly unique.

"This limited edition collaboration is really exceptional in terms of its artistry,rarity and value,and we are very proud to be a part of this story," said Patrick Coppens,General Manager,Sales and Marketing,Rio Tinto Diamonds.

"There's a story of pride to tell here - an artisanal story of Canadian craftsmanship producing creations of extreme scarcity that will be sought after around the world," said Itay Ariel,Sales and Operation,Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd.

Released in very low mintages,the Pink Diamondcoins consist of:

The Ultimate: One-kilo $2,500 99.95% Pure Platinum Coin - Worldwide mintage of one

Splendour: 10 oz. $1,250 99.95% Pure Platinum Coin - Worldwide mintage of five

Grandeur: 2 oz. $350 99.95% Pure Platinum Coin - Worldwide mintage of 30

Treasure: 1 oz. $200 Pure Gold Coin – Worldwide mintage of 400

The exclusive numismatic works of art from the Opulence Collection,can be directly ordered from the Mint at 1-800-267–1871 in Canada,1-800-268–6468 in the US,or at www.mint.ca. Kunming Diamonds is the Premier Global Distributor of Opulence Collection products.

For an in-depth look at the Opulence Collection,visit www.mint.ca/opulence. Images and video of these spectacular pink diamond coins are available here.

About Royal Canadian Mint

The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. The Mint is one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world,offering a wide range of specialized,high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint,its products and services,visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on Twitter,Facebookand Instagram.

About Heffel Fine Art Auction House

Since 1978,Heffel has connected passionate collectors across the world with outstanding works of art,with sales totaling three quarters of a billion dollars. With offices in Toronto,Vancouver,Montreal,Ottawa and Calgary,Heffel has the most experienced team of fine art specialists in Canada and provides superior client service to both sellers and buyers internationally.

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a mining and metals company operating in 35 countries around the world. Our purpose is to produce the materials essential to human progress. Our four product groups bring this purpose to life: Aluminium,Copper,Minerals and Iron Ore. These are complemented by our Safety,Technical and Projects,Strategy & Development,and Commercial groups,as well as our service and support functions.

THE ROYAL CANADIAN MINT OPULENCE COLLECTION

$200 PURE GOLD COIN - TREASURE

Each Treasure coin is crafted of 1 oz. of 99.99% pure gold. Inspired by architectural elements,its reverse design by Canadian artist Simon Ng features a ring of Art Deco motifs that surround a central cherry blossom,whose petals are decorated with swirls. The engraved art is adorned with five Fancy Vivid Pink diamonds with a 0.06 total carat weight (tcw). Each one has been hand set into a rose gold-plated,platinum cast jewellery piece fashioned by Beverly Hills Jewellers. The obverse features a field pattern inspired by the cherry blossom petals on the reverse,and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. Limited to a mintage of 400 coins worldwide,Treasure retails for $12,999.95.

$350 99.95% PURE PLATINUM COIN - GRANDEUR

Grandeur is crafted from 2 oz. of 99.95% pure platinum,a precious metal even more rare than gold. Designed by Simon Ng,the reverse features an exquisite cherry blossom surrounded by a ring of lush flowers and filigree vines. The engraved artwork of this 42 mm coin is enhanced with 30 Fancy Vivid Pink diamonds (0.34 tcw) that have been hand set into rose gold-plated,platinum cast jewellery enhancements fashioned by Beverly Hills Jewellers. The rare diamonds radiate from the centre of the flower toward the rose gold-plated rim. The obverse features a cherry blossom field pattern and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. Limited to a mintage of only 30 coins worldwide,Grandeur retails for $54,999.95.

$1,250 99.95% PURE PLATINUM COIN - SPLENDOUR

This creation designed by Simon Ng is the Mint's first-ever 10 oz. 99.95% pureplatinum coin. Its reverse features a finely engraved cherry blossom surrounded by a delicate lacework of vines and framed by intricate latticework. Set into jewellery enhancements fashioned by Beverly Hills Jewellers,64 Fancy Vivid Pink diamonds (1.2 tcw) add sparkle to the latticework decorating this 76.25 mm coin. The obverse features a vine field pattern and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. With only five of these luxury collectibles available worldwide,Splendour retails for $253,999.95.

$2,500 99.95% PURE PLATINUM COIN - THE ULTIMATE

This one-of-a-kind masterpiece isthe flagship coin of the Opulence collection. It is also the Mint's first-ever one-kilo 99.95% pure platinum coin. Polished to proof perfection,The Ultimate features a reverse design by Canadian artist Derek Wicks that brings the beauty of the cherry blossom to life on a 101.6 mm canvas. A total of 462 Fancy Vivid Pink diamonds (6.5 tcw) from the Argyle mine have been hand set into rose gold-plated,platinum cast jewellery pieces fashioned by Beverly Hills Jewellers.

These precious enhancements on the coin's reverse add sparkle to the rose gold-plated rim and the petals of more than two dozen flowers,including the central bloom,where the gem-set blossoms form an exquisite clustered bouquet. The obverse features a cherry blossom field pattern and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

This singular showpiece will be exclusively available through a Heffel Fine Art Auction House auction on May 31,2022.

Images and video of the Opulence collection are available

here

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The exclusive numismatic works of art from the Opulence collection can be directly ordered from the Mint at 1-800-267‑1871 in Canada,1-800-268‑6468 in the US,or at www.mint.ca. Kunming Diamonds is the Premier Global Distributor of Opulence Collection products.

Media are asked to contact: Royal Canadian Mint,Alex Reeves,Senior Manager,Public Affairs,613-884-6370,reeves@mint.ca; Heffel Fine Art Auction House,Rebecca Rykiss,National Director,Brand and Communications,416-961-6505 ext. 323,rebecca@heffel.com;Rio Tinto,Simon Letendre,Media Relations - Canada and Americas,514-796-4973,media.enquiries@riotinto.com