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Cheers,

Bluenoser

Big Nickel celebrates 45 years

Posted By SARAH CHISNELL, SCIENCE IN THE NORTH

Posted 1 day ago

The largest coin in the world turns 45 years old on July 22nd. That's right, the famous Big Nickel has graced Sudbury's skyline for almost half a century, since being officially unveiled on July 22, 1964.

This giant replica of the 1951 Canadian Nickel was the brain-child of a Sudbury fireman, Ted Szilva, and an artist/sign maker, Bruno Cavallo.

The original 1951 coin itself is significant for Sudbury as well. In 1751, a Swedish scientist by the name of Baron Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, discovered nickel as an element. 200 years later, that same element was credited for "winning the war" (World War II). The Canadian government minted the 1951 nickel to commemorate the discovery of nickel as an element, but also the importance that it played during the war times. Sudbury, of course, was the source of all that nickel. During the six years of World War II, Sudbury has been said to have mined out more nickel than in the previous fifty years altogether.

The Big Nickel is approximately 64,607,747 times the size of an actual Canadian nickel. It stands nine metres high (30 feet), is sixty-one centimetres thick (2 feet), and weighs close to 13,000 kilograms (13 tons).

The Big Nickel has been dismantled once in the past 45 years for refurbishing. Early in 2001, it was removed from its original base and temporarily relocated to Science North to accommodate construction of a brand new Earth sciences centre. It was moved back to its traditional site on Big Nickel Road at the newly constructed Science North attraction, Dynamic Earth, on May 10th, 2003, and placed atop a brand new stainless steel base.

Today, it stands proudly beside Canada's 7th largest science centre, Dynamic Earth.

On July 22nd, Sudbury will celebrate the 45th birthday of the Big Nickel. We invite you to join us at Dynamic Earth - Home of the Big Nickel, to blow out the candles and enjoy some birthday cake! For more information on the celebration please visit our website at www.dynamicearth.ca.