Description
This 2014 $20 fine silver coin features one of Canada's most powerful, elusive and beautiful predators. The cougar has many names such as the puma, panther, catamount and mountain lion. It prefers to reside in dense underbrush, and rocky areas for stalking. Mintage of this coin is limited to 8,500. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Glen Loates features a female cougar negotiating a rocky mountain pass. Viewed from her left side, the cougar is presented in full-body detail, each massive muscle in her powerful back legs, shoulders, and fore-paws finely rendered. Her long, counterbalancing tail hangs gracefully behind her and her head is lowered as she uses her exceptional vision to determine the best path through the landscape. The lower half of the image depicts the massive outcroppings of a barren mountainside. In the background of the upper half of the image we see a few scraggly pine boughs, adding visual interest to the image and balancing the lower half of the design.
The Cougar:
It is a large, elusive, powerful and skilled predator. The cougar ranges from 6 to 8 1/2 feet (head to and including the tail) and can weigh as much as 175 pounds. The cougar has a small head (with canine teeth that can get as long as 1 1/2 inches), and short fur that can range in colour from grey to redish brown.
