Devil's Brigade Silver

The Devil's Brigade Silver Coin from the Royal Canadian Mint

The Devil's Brigade coin is a commemorative bullion issue from the Royal Canadian Mint honouring the First Special Service Force (FSSF), a joint American-Canadian commando unit from World War II. The silver version is a 1/2 oz coin at .9999 purity, an unusually high standard that matches the Royal Canadian Mint's flagship Silver Maple Leaf in fineness. The coin was produced from 2013 through approximately 2018, with consistent design across all years.

The FSSF was formed in July 1942 at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana, consisting of approximately 1,400 American and Canadian troops trained in mountain warfare, demolitions, amphibious operations, and close combat. German soldiers at the Battle of Anzio reportedly nicknamed the unit Die Schwarze Teufel (The Black Devils) because of their blackened-face night raids, a name that stuck. The unit saw action in the Aleutian Islands campaign, the Italian campaign (including the battles of Monte la Difensa and Anzio), and Operation Dragoon in southern France before being disbanded on 5 December 1944 in Menton, France.

Congress awarded the FSSF a Congressional Gold Medal in 2013, the same year the Royal Canadian Mint began issuing these coins. The timing was deliberate: by 2013, most surviving veterans were in their late 80s or 90s, and the simultaneous recognition from both countries reflected a concerted effort to honour the unit's binational legacy before its members passed. Veterans of the FSSF became founding members of both the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.

The 1/2 oz silver denomination is unusual for sovereign bullion. Most series from major mints offer 1 oz as the standard silver weight. The Royal Canadian Mint's choice of 1/2 oz may reflect the commemorative positioning of the series rather than pure stacking utility, though the fractional weight does offer a lower entry price per coin.

Devil's Brigade Coin Specifications

A 1/4 oz gold proof version was also issued in 2013 with a mintage of 2,000 pieces and a face value of $10 CAD. Specific mintage figures for the annual Brilliant Uncirculated issues have not been published by the Royal Canadian Mint, but production was described as limited.

The obverse features Susanna Blunt's right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the fourth-generation design used on Canadian coins from 2003. The reverse depicts the FSSF's distinctive red spearhead shoulder patch emblem with "USA" stitched vertically and "CANADA" running horizontally, flanked by a US Army star and a Royal Canadian Forces maple leaf, with two crossed arrows below. Bilingual text reads "FIRST SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE" and "PREMIERE FORCE DE SERVICE SPECIAL."

Devil's Brigade Coin Tax Treatment

The Devil's Brigade coins are official Canadian legal tender, backed by the Government of Canada. This legal tender status carries tax advantages in several jurisdictions.

• Canada: Investment gold coins with face value and .995+ purity are GST/HST-exempt. The gold Devil's Brigade coins at .9999 purity qualify. Silver coins with face value are also GST/HST-exempt. Both versions qualify for RRSP and TFSA eligibility through approved dealers and custodians, offering tax-deferred or tax-free growth on bullion holdings within registered accounts.
• United Kingdom: Gold versions are VAT-free as investment gold (post-1800 legal tender coin meeting the .900+ fineness threshold). Silver versions are subject to 20% VAT on purchase, with the margin scheme available on pre-owned pieces. Neither version is CGT-exempt in the UK, as CGT exemption applies only to UK legal tender coins (Britannia, Sovereign).
• United States: Standard precious metals taxation applies. The $2 and $5 CAD face values have no US tax relevance. Federal capital gains are taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28% for long-term holdings. The .9999 silver purity exceeds the IRS minimum for precious metals IRA eligibility (.999), and as a government-issued coin it is more likely to be accepted by IRA custodians than private-mint products.
• European Union: Gold versions qualify as investment gold under the EU Directive and are VAT-exempt. Silver coins are subject to local VAT rates (17%-27%). Margin scheme availability on pre-owned silver coins varies by country.
• Australia: Gold coins at .9999 purity are GST-free. Silver coins at .9999 purity also meet the .999 investment-grade threshold for GST exemption.
• New Zealand: Silver at .9999 purity as legal tender qualifies for GST exemption.
• Singapore: Silver coins at .9999 purity that are legal tender qualify as IPM, exempt from 9% GST.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duty, no capital gains tax.

Devil's Brigade vs Maple Leaf and Other RCM Themed Silver

The most natural comparison is the Silver Maple Leaf, which shares the same mint and the same .9999 purity. The critical differences are weight (1/2 oz vs 1 oz), mintage (limited vs effectively unlimited), and design intent (commemorative vs generic). The Maple Leaf is the more efficient stacking product: it trades at lower premiums per ounce, has far broader dealer recognition, tighter buy-sell spreads, and is available in much larger quantities. The Devil's Brigade appeals to buyers who value the military-historical theme and the lower per-coin entry price of the 1/2 oz format.

The Royal Canadian Mint has issued numerous themed bullion series over the years, including the Wildlife series, the Predator series, and the Birds of Prey series. The Devil's Brigade is distinguished by its military theme and its binational significance. Most other RCM themed series feature Canadian wildlife or natural subjects; the FSSF theme connects directly to American military history as well, giving the coin dual-country appeal.

The 1/10 oz gold version competes directly with the Maple Leaf 1/10 oz at the same $5 CAD face value. Premiums per ounce are higher on the Devil's Brigade due to lower production volumes, but the coin offers an alternative for fractional gold buyers who want something beyond the standard Maple Leaf design.

For US military-themed bullion buyers, the US Mint issues commemorative coins for military subjects, but those are typically in proof finishes with collector pricing, positioned above the bullion market. The Devil's Brigade coins are Brilliant Uncirculated bullion, priced closer to metal value, making them more accessible for buyers who want a military-themed holding without paying proof premiums. The Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the FSSF in 2013 adds historical context that purely decorative military-themed products lack.

Production of the Devil's Brigade appears to have ended around 2018. Current dealer stock is sold as "random year" from remaining inventory. This finite supply may support secondary-market premiums over time, though the 1/2 oz silver format limits the pool of buyers compared to the standard 1 oz weight that dominates the silver bullion market.