Description
This exceptionally large and visually impressive 2023 $250 fine silver coin is both a work of Canadian art and an ultra-low mintage collectible. The coin has a huge diameter of 102 mm and a weight of just over one kilogram (32.15 ounces) of pure silver. Mintage is extremely limited to only 450 coins. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The design features the artist’s take on the well-known First Nations creation story of how Raven brought light to the world. The depiction is styled like Tahltan sculptural art and shows Raven in the once-dark sky after stealing light. Selective gold plating highlights the rays of light that illuminated the world for the first time; these gleaming rays also serve as an inspiring metaphor for shared knowledge and the power of ancestral teachings. The obverse features the posthumous transitional effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, along with the engraved face value “250 dollars” and the year “2023”.
The Raven:
The story of How Raven Brought Light to the World starts in the beginning, when all the light in the universe—the stars, moon and sun—was kept inside an old man’s brush house. The Raven, who had tired of flying in the dark, desired this treasure and decided to steal it. After transforming himself into a piece of dust, the trickster was swallowed by the old man’s daughter, to be born as her son. The raven child grew up fast, and one day, he begged his grandfather to be allowed to hold the light. Seizing it, he took off suddenly, flying up through the smoke hole and into the dark sky. He watched as light illuminated the world for the first time, sending all the animals scurrying to the places they now call home.
