Description
Despite the species’ extinction 10,000 years ago, the Woolly Mammoth continues to inspire and intrigue many who identify it with the last glacial period. Perhaps this is because of the size and strength of the pre-historic animal, and perhaps because frozen specimens found in permafrost present the possibility of bringing the species back to life through cloning. The Royal Canadian Mint celebrates this impressive mammal that once roamed parts of present-day Canada with this 2018 $20 fine silver coin that includes an element showing the Woolly Mammoth under a frosted chunk of “ice”. The coin weighs one ounce of pure silver and has a limited mintage of just 5,000. As a pure silver coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Glen Loates portrays a snowy Ice Age landscape with a herd of mammoth traversing a frozen plain. The image centers on a single mammoth who faces the viewer, its massive tusks rising high into the sky. The image is overlain with a frosted “ice” like dome. The portion of the portrait under the ice is coloured, while the remainder of the image is struck-only. The reverse includes the text “CANADA” and the date “2018.” The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, as well as the coin value of “20 DOLLARS.”.
