As the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation approaches, the Royal Canadian Mint proudly celebrates the great icons of this diverse land. Canada’s North is one of the nation’s most distinctive regions and a beloved symbol of the stalwart spirit, historic exploration, and striking adaptability that underlies the Canadian story.

This $25 coin is 99.99% pure silver, with a nominal metal weight of 7.96 grams and a diameter of 27 millimetres. The reverse image by Canadian artist Trevor Tennant features a polar bear striding across a stylized contour map of the Canadian Arctic coastline. The image centres on the polar bear, presented in full-body profile and viewed from its left side. The bear is captured in intricate detail in a photo-realistic style. Beneath its feet is a contour map of the Arctic coastline—a vast landmass composed of numerous islands and inlets, leading to a wide-open horizon. Three sugar maple leaves in bright Canadian red punctuate the bottom half of the image. The reverse is engraved with the words “CANADA” and “FINE SILVER 9999 ARGENT PUR”, the date “2016”, and the face value of “25 DOLLARS”. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Commemorate Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, legacy of exploration, stunning northern fauna, and upcoming 150th birthday with this beautiful engraved and coloured coin.