They called her the Queen of Hurricanes. Now, pioneering aeronautical engineer and woman’s rights activist Elsie MacGill is featured on the newest commemorative loonie, designed by Victoria-based artist Claire Watson.
Watson says she was selected by the Royal Canadian Mint last year to craft the design for the loonie honouring MacGill.
Since 2019, she has designed three silver commemorative coins. However, this design is her first depicting the legacy of an individual.
“It was exciting because I’d never done [a loonie],” she said. “Then I read about Elsie and learned a bit more about her, what she stood for, and what she did.
