Description
Celebrate the interconnection of all life, past, present, and future with Canada’s new format and design 2023 Puzzle Coin. The design features captivating Northwest Coast Native Canadian art employing rich black colouring contrasting against a layer of 24 karat gold plating over fine silver to tell the story of the Celestial Circle. The circle illustrates the intersections between humanity and the natural world, where dualities and contrasts form a beautiful, balanced whole. Eight separate story elements on individual coins come together to form one complete story and exceptional work of art. Mintage is limited to just 1000 sets. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The $50 center coin in the puzzle set has a weight of three ounces, while the seven outer $20 coins each have a weight of just under one ounce, for a total fine silver weight of 9.6 troy ounces. The eight coins connect to form a large 111 mm diameter circle, and come housed together in a single large format capsule and premium wood display case. A mini booklet explaining the symbolism of each piece is also included.
The assembled puzzle pieces depict the cycle of the heavens and the variety of life it supports on the Northwest Coast. The large face on the center coin is both the moon and sun, which interact with all beings. The matte black portions represent moon shadows and tides, while the radial lines represent sunrays. The story begins in the first puzzle-shaped outer piece located above the centrepiece, where the salmon egg
represents the lifecycle of a species that is an integral part of the traditional way of life.
Moving clockwise, the second puzzle piece depicts Mousewoman, known for protecting youth, and a whale fin symbolizing another important species on the Northwest Coast. The third puzzle piece pairs an ovoid – a defining feature of Northwest Coast art – with Raven’s wing. The fourth piece depicts orca’s fin with a salmon egg, as a representation of the coastal ecosystem. The fifth puzzle piece shows the face of an ancestor inside the claw of the nocturnal wolf; the pairing reflects the connection between humans and animals, preserved through the familial crest system. The sixth puzzle piece speaks to the protection of children and depicts Mousewoman within eagle’s wing. The final puzzle piece features a human face that simultaneously represents ancestors and the descendants still to come – a reminder of one’s responsibilities to the land, and to preserving the traditional way of life.
The obverse of all 8 coins features a memorial effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
