Description
This $20 fine silver coin uses genuine diamond dust to create the sparkle of the iceberg in the background. The foreground features an engraved Arctic Tern set against the blue surface of the Arctic Sea. Mintage is limited to 7,500. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is GST/HST exempt.
When it comes to epic migrations, no other bird species rivals the long-distance trek of the Arctic tern. This summer resident of Northern Canada travels roughly 40,000 kilometres each year; it winters on the Antarctic sea ice but returns time and time again to its breeding grounds in “the True North strong and free,” which sparkles on the reverse of this fine silver coin.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Derek C. Wicks combines finely detailed engraving, selective colour and diamond glitter to capture the majestic beauty of Canada’s northern coastline. In the foreground, an Arctic tern is depicted in flight, its forked tail elongating its slender profile while its long wings are outstretched in an upward stroke. The tern prefers to nest in a colony; thus, it is depicted alongside two other terns depicted in different flight positions above the painted grey waters. While these engraved birds are exquisitely rendered, the Arctic scenery is equally captivating: in the background, the engraved iceberg sparkles in the light thanks to the sealed layer of fine diamond particles, which mimic the glacial ice’s glistening appearance.
