This 2013 $5 gold coin in the Royal Canadian Mint’s second coin of the exciting new O Canada series focusing on iconic Canadian animals, this beautiful coin celebrates the rich history and symbolism associated with the Canadian polar bear. Mintage limited to 4,000. HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

The reverse design by Canadian artist Pierre Leduc presents an outer polished border framing an inner field engraved with the full face portrait of a polar bear. The image details to stunning effect the polar bear’s many unique adaptations to its Arctic home, including its small ears, fur-ringed eyes, and thick transparent fur. The Polar Bear’s distinctive black nose and eyes stand out in sharp contrast to its shaggy light-coloured body. Behind the bear we catch a glimpse of its frozen environment stretching to the horizon, broken only by the occasional jagged finger of ice pushing through the wind-swept, snow-encrusted terrain.