The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is minted by the Royal Canadian Mint and has become one of the most affordable ways to invest in gold coins. Each Maple Leaf is legal Canadian tender guaranteed by the Government of Canada for its weight and purity. The obverse (front) features Queen Elizabeth II, while Canada’s signature maple leaf is depicted on the reverse. The gold is 24 karats -- the same as the Gold American Buffalo -- and the gold itself comes from Canadian gold mines. It was introduced in 1979 as an alternative to the South African Krugerrand, which was the only gold bullion coin made at the time. The maple leaf is available in 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz and 1 oz denominations. In 1994, 1/15 oz gold and platinum coins were issued but they were discontinued and were only made that year. In 2007, the Canadian Mint created a Gold Maple Leaf coin with a face value of $1 million. Interestingly, the coin weighed in at 100kg (3527 ounces), making the gold within the coin worth more than twice the face value. Today, the gold value of the coin is worth more than $4300.