This 2013 $5 gold coin is the third coin in the Royal Canadian Mint’s exciting new O Canada series focusing on iconic Canadian animals. This beautiful coin celebrates the great wolf—one of Canada’s most fascinating native species. Mintage limited to 4,000. HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

The reverse design by Canadian artists Pierre Leduc presents a three-quarter profile portrait of a wolf by a lake bordering a Canadian forest. Bearing a relaxed wolfish grin, the gorgeous specimen gazes off to its left, its striking light-coloured eyes seeming to hold both mystery and wisdom. Its slightly lowered, outward-turned ears listen for signs of prey, trouble, and fellow wolves. The wolf’s thick neck fur, soft muzzle, and longer facial fur seem to rise from the image, rendered in exceptional detail through fine engraving. In the background we see the placid waters of a large lake, bordered in the distance by a shoreline from which rise tall evergreens.