Description
Here is a coin sure to excite lovers of early creatures, and the first in an exciting series from the Royal Canadian Mint celebrating prehistoric animals! This stunning gold coin observes the fascinating woolly mammoth, the last in a line of mammoth species that went extinct roughly 10,000 years ago, although it has been discovered that isolated populations survived on an island in the Arctic Ocean as little as 4,000 years ago! This impressive, imagination-capturing creature once roamed parts of present-day Canada, as trackways made by a herd of Woolly Mammoth almost 11,000 years ago were found in the St. Mary Resocoir in Southwestern Alberta. Their very long tusks (up to 15 feet!) and shaggy exterior have become emblems of modern ideas about the Ice Age. Mintage is limited to 3,000 coins. HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The coin features a scientifically accurate depiction of a woolly mammoth, verified by paleontologists from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology. With its head raised, the mammoth's trunk is outstretched between its famously long, curved tusks. The thick, coarse fur that enables it to survive the colder temperatures is shorter here, reflecting the molting that scientists believe took place in the early summer. The mammoth's extra hump of fat is seen over the shoulders and in the background, the low grasses and gentle sloping hills of the mammoth's habitat stretches past the image's outer rim on both sides. On this coin, we see the imposing figure of the Mammoth in profile as he moves through low grasses and sloping hills. The exceptional detail in the engraving of the fur is brought to life with a soft matte finish, while the background of the coin boasts a bright proof finish. Crafted in 1/10th of an ounce of 99.99% pure gold, this coin would make an exceptional gift or addition to any gold coin collection.
