The first one ounce Silver Maple Leaf was issued in 1988 by the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM), the design is a continuation of that first concevied for the gold maples in 1979. All Silver Maples have a $5 face value to them and have a silver purity of .9999 the highest of all the types of silver bullion on the market today, each coin weighs 31.1 grams or one ounce. The coin generaly features a maple leaf on the reverse of the coin and a image of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. The one universal element on all silver maple leaf bullion coins is the phrase "Fine Silver 1 oz Argent Pur" which is along the bottom of the obverse of the coin.The Maple Leaf is one of the most reconisable bullion coins on the market today and one of the most popular. This coin is often the designated choice of collectors not only because of its beauty, but because of the extraordinary purity and high quality strike, mintages were particularly low in 1996 and 1997 which has resulted in higher premiums for these years due to buying pressure from collectors. The maple leaf is the national symbol of Canada and has given this coin it so familiar look, the Maple Leaf is also produced in gold, platinum and palladium.