The Regina Centennial Dollar, 1982.

 

Lt. & Ctr.: Dollar commemorating Regina Centennial Rt.: Original badge of North Silver (.500 fine) Mintage: 577,959 proofs @ $15.25 West Mounted Police.

144,989 proof-like @ $10.95

Wgt.: 23.3 grams; Diam.: 36.07mm Reeded edge; NN axis

Obv.: Arnold Machin (designer); Patrick Brindley (modeller)

Rev.: Huntley Brown (designer); Walter Ott (modeller)

 

Although somewhat grisly, it's entirely appropriate that the symbol for Regina be a bison skull. The place's first name was "Pile o' Bones", in reference to its proximity to an aboriginal "buffalo jump" where the animals met their doom for many years and an abundance of bony remnants remained. Throughout the 1880s and into the '90s (when the supply gave out), prairie pioneers' first cash-crop was likely to be these bones, gathered and sold for prices that ranged from $5 to $7 per ton. They were much in demand by the American sugar refining industry since the oil had already been weathered out of them.

By 1880, two things had happened: it had been determined that a railway would be built across the prairies all the way to the Pacific and, to keep order in the "North-West" (at the time 2/3 of the southern parts of present-day Alberta, Saskatchewan and part of Manitoba), a para-military force called the "Northwest Police" (almost immediately the "Northwest Mounted Police") was raised and string of barrack-posts established from which they could enforce their jurisdiction. In that year, one such post was established at "Pile o' Bones", part of the southern string of NWMP posts from Winnipeg to the B.C. border at today's Calgary .

At the time, it was believed that the railway would follow a more northern route through est was established at Battleford (1876) as was the main NWMP command post later. But in 1882, the C.P.R. had discovered Rogers ' Pass on a more southerly route and for this reason both the North West government and police force were moved south to a relatively central location and "Pile o' Bones" became " Regina " (Latin for "Queen").

 

Regina , 1884. Population about 500.

 

The move brought the little settlement to life. The new territorial lieutenant-governor, Edgar Dewdney, hasten to order erection of both a government house and NWMP headquarters/barracks on land adjacent to his own (Dec. 6, 1882). By federal order-in-council, Regina was designated capital of the Northwest Territories on March 27, 1883. Something of a land boom was ignited in the area.

The Lt.-Governor was assisted by a council but it was not until October 31, 1888 that the first legislature of the Northwest Territories met in Regina . In the meantime, the main excitement in town had been the trial of Louis Riel in the local courtroom in July, 1885 followed by his execution in the courtyard of the N.W.M.P. barracks that November.

Saskatchewan (an amalgam of the District of Assiniboia, most of the District of Saskatchewan and the east half of the District of Athabaska) became a province on September 2, 1905 (one day after Alberta ) and Regina retained her status as capital. Her location (again) contributed to her pre-eminence in the wheat region and as a central distribution center as well.

In 1920, the old N.W.M.P. was no more. Amalgamated with a federal force called the "Dominion Police", the two became the "Royal Canadian Mounted Police". Although headquarters for the new federal force was moved to Ottawa , Regina remained - and remains - its training center.

Wayne Jacobs is a numismatic expert. Currently secretary and editor of the "Mid-Island Coin Club Numismatic Journal"of Nanaimo, Vancouver Island , British Columbia, he is the award winning author of numerous articles. The MICC journal are hosted here: MICC webpages Copyright 2006 Wayne Jacobs. This article may be reprinted freely for non commercial purpose only if the resource box is left intact, linking back to us.