CANADA'S GOLD COIN IS STILL A BEST SELLER

Ten years after it was introduced, Canada's 24-karat Maple Leaf glitters brightest as the world's most-popular gold coin, surpassing Britain's Britannia, Australia's Nugget, and the United States' Eagle. ``The Maple Leaf is in great shape,'' said Michael Brown of the Gold Institute in Washington. ``It will remain the premier gold coin with the Eagle and the Nugget fighting for second spot.''

The Maple Leaf's birthday this month is marked by climbing sales and a 54 percent market share, regained since its main competitors slashed the coin's share to 44 percent after they emerged in 1986 and '87.