1.5 oz Maple Leaf Gold Coin

The Oversized Maple Leaf: 50% More Gold Per Coin

The 1.5 oz Royal Canadian Mint Maple Leaf SuperLeaf is an unusual gold coin that contains 50% more metal than a standard 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf. Struck in .9999 fine gold by the Royal Canadian Mint, it was produced during a limited window from 2015 to 2017 and is no longer being minted. All coins currently available are secondary market inventory.

The SuperLeaf was conceived as a product differentiation strategy by the RCM, offering more gold per coin without jumping to the substantially more expensive 2 oz or 5 oz sizes. The reverse features three maple leaves rather than the single leaf of the standard Maple Leaf, a design inspired by the 2007 Million Dollar Maple Leaf coin. It retains the same security features found on standard Maple Leafs, including micro-laser engraved privy marks and radial lines on both faces.

The coin carries a face value of CAD 50, making it legal tender of Canada. Its .9999 purity places it among the purest standard gold coins available, matching the Gold Philharmonic and the post-2013 Gold Britannia, and exceeding the 22-karat American Gold Eagle and Krugerrand. The four-nines purity means the gold is very soft, making the coin susceptible to the same surface marking that affects standard Maple Leafs in handling.

SuperLeaf Gold Coin Specifications

The coin incorporates the RCM's standard security suite. The micro-laser engraved maple leaf privy mark, visible only under magnification, contains the last two digits of the production year. Radial lines stretch across both faces, creating a light-diffracting pattern that is extremely difficult to replicate. These features bring the SuperLeaf in line with the security standard of the standard Maple Leaf programme, including eligibility for verification through the Bullion DNA authentication system.

The 1.5 oz format means each coin contains 46.66 grams of pure gold, compared to 31.11 grams in a standard 1 oz Maple Leaf. The coin is proportionally larger and heavier, though it remains compact and easily stored.

SuperLeaf Tax Treatment by Country

As a Canadian legal tender gold coin of .9999 purity, the SuperLeaf qualifies for the same tax treatment as the standard Gold Maple Leaf in most jurisdictions.

• United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment-grade gold exceeding the 99.5% purity threshold. Subject to Capital Gains Tax, as only UK legal tender coins qualify for CGT exemption. The annual CGT allowance is GBP 3,000.
• United States: IRA-eligible under IRS Section 408(m), as it meets the 99.5% gold purity requirement. State sales tax exemptions vary; most states exempt bullion. Capital gains taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28% for assets held over one year.
• Canada: GST/HST exempt as a gold coin exceeding 99.5% purity. Physical bullion is not eligible for RRSP or TFSA accounts. Capital gains are taxable at the 50% inclusion rate.
• European Union: VAT-exempt under the EU Investment Gold Directive as a post-1800 legal tender coin exceeding 900 thousandths purity.
• Australia: GST-free as investment-grade gold meeting the 99.5% purity threshold. Capital gains apply with a 50% discount for holdings over 12 months.
• New Zealand: GST-exempt for fine gold bullion at 99.5% purity or above.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under the Investment Precious Metals scheme.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, import duty, or capital gains tax.

SuperLeaf vs Standard Maple Leaf and Other Options

The most direct comparison is with the standard 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf. Both coins share the same .9999 purity, the same security features, and the same issuing mint. Per-ounce premiums are broadly similar, so the SuperLeaf does not offer meaningful cost savings on a per-ounce basis. Its advantage is convenience: fewer coins to handle and store for the same total gold content. Two 1 oz Maple Leafs contain 2 oz of gold (more than the 1.5 oz SuperLeaf) and have wider market recognition, making them easier to resell.

The limited production run (2015-2017 only) is a double-edged factor. Secondary market supply is finite and gradually thinning, which could support resale value over time. On the other hand, the non-standard weight means some dealers may need to look up the product before quoting a buyback price, and international liquidity is lower than for standard 1 oz coins. European and Asian dealers may be unfamiliar with the format entirely.

For the same budget, a buyer could alternatively acquire a 1.5 oz gold coin in the form of the 1.5 oz RCM Megaleaf, which is the same weight and mint but with a different design. Beyond the RCM, no other major mint produces a 1.5 oz gold bullion coin, making this weight class exclusively Canadian.

Buyers who prioritise liquidity and broad dealer recognition would be better served by standard 1 oz coins from any of the major sovereign mints. The SuperLeaf suits buyers who specifically want RCM quality in a larger format and are comfortable with a product that has narrower secondary market depth than mainstream denominations.