Imagining a past vision of tomorrow.

Embark on a journey to a retro-future with this steampunk scene, which captures the grit and grandeur of an industrial age imagined through the eyes of a bygone era. A stylized steam-powered locomotive leaves behind a fantastical vintage cityscape and comes alive with a depth of field captured by spectacular engraving and extraordinary detail that blur the lines between historical periods. To top it off, a superb, antique finish lends the piece a storied feel, like a long-treasured artifact from an alternate timeline.

With so many engraved details to be discovered, this design is an enchanting tribute to 19th century optimism, and to the kind of speculative artistry that evokes a world fuelled by steam and imagination.

Ride the rails to a steampunk future.

Good to know

Our first steampunk design. Step into a world where retro-futuristic technology collides with vintage aesthetics—this is steampunk, a creative style and sci-fi genre that blurs the line between past and future, history and fantasy.

Impressively detailed. While its many components are inspired by historical elements, this steampunk-styled visual story is more fantasy than fact—the design elements are creatively interpreted rather than historically precise.

Antique finish. Complementing the theme, the antique finish imparts a lustrous patina that perfectly captures the look of aged metal and machinery.

A world powered by steam. This retro-futuristic world runs on steam power. Steam-powered machinery is essential to steampunk designs, and in this whimsical take, the locomotive fills the scene with steam—as does the airship at the top.

Obverse pattern. Another key element of steampunk? Gears! These are represented on the reverse and on the obverse, too, where gear shapes form a fun industrial-themed pattern.

Extraordinary design complexity. This is the kind of intricate design that rewards repeated viewings! From the towering spires and steam-emitting blimp to the travelling train and the gears, there are so many details to discover—and engraving this design required significant time and effort.

Low mintage. Impeccably crafted in 3 oz. of 99.99% pure silver, A Whimsical Tale: Steam Locomotive has a limited mintage of just 2,500 coins worldwide.

Includes serialized certificate. The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.

No GST/HST

Did you know?

Steampunk is a future imagined from the perspective of the past. Blending vintage aesthetics and steam-era tech with modern/sci-fi elements, the genre paints an image of what people in the 19th century might have imagined the future to look like—a future filled with modern and gear-driven marvels.

Behind closed doors

"I started my design with a generic 19th-century steam locomotive and added sweeping curves that highlight its elegant form from the pilot/cowcatcher, to the smoke lifters on each side and exhaust pipes added to the side leaving a plume of steam along the tracks. For the fantastical cityscape, I drew inspiration from early Victorian architecture styles, adding decorative triangular rooftops adorned with spires. It was a real challenge to forgo the historical accuracy of my previous work in favour of the imaginative creativity of the steampunk style, but also a joy to let loose my creative artistic side."

– David Oram, Artist

"Steampunk, as with all speculative fiction, is about possibility. If we can dream of a world where the fantastic can occur, then we realize that our own world can be something other than what it currently is. The steampunk Canada depicted on this coin is not the Canada of history, but a fanciful speculation of a Canada that never was and likely never will be. But it is our ability to dream of alternate histories that can motivate us as Canadians to always seek out alternate futures of a better, brighter Canada."

– Dr. Mike Perschon, MacEwan University

About the design

Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a black beauty box.

Designed by Canadian artist David Oram, the steampunk-styled reverse invites you to step into a whimsical retro-futuristic world. A stylized steam locomotive charges out of a vintage train station, filling the scene with steam as it pulls cars along the track. Turrets, ornate facades, and towering buildings contribute to the cityscape that rises up in the background, where a steamboat-inspired airship has taken to the skies. In keeping with the industrial-era aesthetic, gears positioned near the edge partially frame the scene, while gear shapes form a pattern on the obverse, which features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.

Product # 246189

$50 Fine Silver Coin - A Whimsical Tale - Steam Locomotive (2025)