Description
For the first time ever, this $20 pure silver coin features hundreds of tiny genuine diamonds to recreate the light-reflecting qualities of snow and ice under the arctic sun. The dazzling glitter effect is combined with detailed engraving and selective colour to capture the exceptional beauty of the Canadian Arctic landscape. The center design features an imposing polar bear as it moves across the rugged terrain, but it is the glittering appearance of the snow and ice made of real diamonds that inevitably draws the eye towards the ground beneath the bear’s feet. The coin weighs one ounce of pure silver, and has a limited mintage of just 7,500 pieces. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The reverse design by Canadian artist Glen Loates artfully combines highly detailed engraving with the selective application of colour and diamond glitter to capture the stunning beauty of the Canadian Arctic landscape. In the center, a polar bear is sure-footed as it moves across the rugged terrain, where it pauses briefly to lift its head and use its formidable sense of smell. The side-profile view allows for a close examination of the bear’s distinctive outline and the textured rendering of its famously white fur. Beneath the bear’s feet the careful application of Diamond Glitter recreates the light-reflecting qualities of snow and ice crystals in daylight—an effect that is further enhanced by the coin’s silver surface in the engraved background, where the frozen Arctic landscape is punctuated by rocky peaks beneath the engraved face value “20 DOLLARS”.
