page_title: Big Nickel
section_title: Sudbury Science Centre
hierarchical_section_title: Big Nickel / Sudbury Science Centre
caption_attribution_description: English: Sudbury's Big Nickel
context_page_description: The Big Nickel is a nine-metre replica of a 1951 Canadian nickel, located at the grounds of the Dynamic Earth science museum in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, and is the world's largest coin. The twelve-sided nickel is located on a small hill overlooking the intersection of Municipal Road 55 and Big Nickel Drive at the westernmost end of the Gatchell neighbourhood.
  The Big Nickel celebrated its 45th anniversary on July 22, 2009 with a "birthday party" on the grounds of Dynamic Earth, including a display of coins from Science North's Inco Coin Collection.
context_section_description: In March 1975, Szilva expanded on the idea of creating a world-class mining science centre and submitted his proposal to the provincial minister of tourism in Toronto and to the Regional Municipality of Sudbury. Similar to the proposal of the Big Nickel, the idea was rejected by the government. The government at the time refused to give money to private enterprise. According to documented proposals and files, Szilva continued his efforts, and in 1980 he convinced the Regional Municipality of Sudbury to proceed with the development of a major tourist attraction, as the government was willing to grant the funds to non-profit organizations. Szilva sold the Big Nickel to the Regional Municipality of Sudbury for $550,000, and the Sudbury Science Centre, later to be named Science North, was founded.
caption: Big Nickel on original pedestal
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