Description
Struck in one ounce of pure gold with a genuine AAA grade emerald at the centre and a mintage of just 250 pieces, this coin is both a rare collectable and a perfect embodiment of eternal love. The design features Celtic love knots, which are never ending and never breaking, with the green emerald bringing the coin to life with a splash of precious colour. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The design by artist Bonnie Ross features a mix of Celtic and decorative art elements that represent eternal love. Nestled between the heart-shaped Celtic love knots, each triquetra symbol (or Trinity knot) forms the point of a star shape that surrounds the rose cut emerald at the centre. The classic Celtic knot border along the outer edge celebrates Canada’s multiculturalism by including six maple leaves that symbolize the historic ties between Canada and the six Celtic nations. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Did You Know?
More than nine million Canadians claim Scottish or Irish heritage.
Emeralds are only found in a few places and, perhaps surprisingly, Ireland isn’t one of them. Still, the gemstone has a long association with the Emerald Isle — a nickname that first appeared in print in the poem “When Erin First Rose” by William Drennan (1754-1820) —because it conjures images of the green Irish landscape.
“Triquetra” means “three-cornered” in Latin, and the symbol is also known as the Trinity Knot. It’s hard to pin down an exact date but its earliest appearance in Celtic art is around the 7th century. Throughout history, the Triquetra has been assigned different meanings, including the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and the three-fold forces of nature (earth, fire, water). Today, it is one of the most popular symbols of Celtic culture.
