Sudbury, Ontario - Giant Canadian Nickel

Near Sudbury, Ontario there is a giant nickel about 29 feet wide, which was placed there to bring attention to the local nickel mines. I heard about it from my father. [Willie Zaza, 06/12/2001]

[RA: The Big Nickel was mounted on top of a 13 ft. tall rock cairn and was dedicated in 1964 as part of Sudbury's centennial celebration. The nickel is 29 ft. 3 in. tall, made of wood covered in sheet metal. The design is based on a 1951 5-cent piece; on the reverse is a nickel refinery saluting the 1751 isolation of nickel as an element by a Swedish chemist.

The Big Nickel has moved -- temporarily -- from its location next to the Big Nickel Mine. In April 2001, the Nickel was transported to a location adjacent to Science North. It will remain there until 2003 while a new tourist attraction, Dynamic Earth, is constructed in its traditional location. Local authorities didn't want such an important tourist photo op trapped in a construction zone for two years.]