The HMCS MacKenzie challenge coin - our newest version of this challenge coin!
Designed in honour of HMCS MacKenzie (DDE 261); the namesake ship of the MacKenzie class fleet.
This steam powered ship was built by Canadian Vickers in Montréal, Quebec, and Commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on October 6th, 1962.
After a 30 year career, she was decommissioned in 1993. In 1995 she was sunk near Rum Island near Sidney, British Columbia, where she became a popular artificial reef for sport divers.
Fun Facts: "Throughout her 30 years of service, she visited 96 foreign ports and steamed 845,640 nautical miles, either as a unit of the 4th Canadian Destroyer Squadron or of Training Group Pacific where she was used to instruct junior naval officers in ship handling, navigation and marine engineering." Canada.caÂ
Just before her sinking she was used as a set for the popular X-Files TV series. Painted in US Navy colours, she was the centrepiece of an episode shown nationally on 10 March 1996. When she was sunk, she was still dressed in the US Navy colours! Ref: Artificial Reef Society BC
This 45mm diameter coin was produced in dual toned polished gold and satin nickel finish, with the ship's colours proudly displayed in soft enamel paint.
Other MacKenzie class ships were the Saskatchewan, Yukon, and Qu’Appelle… also available as a set of four here.Â
*This coin is non-trackable