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2022 Canada $20 Colourful Birds: Cedar Waxwing Fine Silver (No Tax)
The star of the Royal Canadian Mint's second Colourful Birds series coin, the cedar waxwing has a distinctive appearance thanks to its slicked-back crest, black mask and silky yellow-brown feathers. This gregarious species loves to forage in flocks and can be found in all of Canada’s provinces and territories. It has an appetite for insects and small fruits, including those of the flowering crab apple tree featured in this nature-themed coin design.
Some cedar waxwings have orange tail tips instead of the usual yellow. This happens when a young waxwing eats a lot of berries from a specific type of honeysuckle and the fruit’s red pigment shifts the colour of the immature tail feathers.
See the red “drops” on the tips of its feathers? Those are actually waxy secretions on the wing feathers, hence the “waxwing” name (the “cedar” part refers to its love of cedar berries in the winter). It’s not clear what purpose the wax spots serve, but some ornithologists believe they’re related to courtship.
A lot of fruit in one place can be too much of a good thing for the cedar waxwing! It can become intoxicated after gorging on overripe berries and fruits.
The reverse design by Canadian artist Tony Bianco features an eye-level view of a cedar waxwing (Bombycilla ccedrorum) in an engraved backyard setting, where a stone walkway leads to a lattice arch. In the foreground, the soft pastel colours of the flowering crab apple (genus Malus) tree complement the cedar waxwing’s mix of yellow, brown, grey, white and red feathers. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Specifications:
Item Number: 204761
Mintage: 7,500
Composition: 99.99% pure silver
Weight: 31.39 g
Diameter: 38 mm
Face Value: $20
Finish: Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Tony Bianco (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)
Special Features:
• Second coin in an exciting series! A follow-up to 2021’s Blue Jay, the cedar waxwing is the star of the second Colourful Birds-themed 1 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin.
• Selective colour highlights both the bird and its flowering perch, and transforms the design into a celebration of Mother Nature’s vibrant colour combinations.
• An immersive scene! The eye-level view pulls you into the scene and creates the impression that you’re standing right next to the bird.
• Limited mintage! Only 7,500 are available to collectors worldwide.
Packaging:
The coin comes encapsulated and presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell case with a black beauty box.
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