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2021 $200 Early Canadian History: The Fur Trade Pure Gold (No Tax)
The fourth coin in the Royal Canadian Mint's Early Canadian History series presents a 99.99% pure gold portrait of the fur trade era from the perspective of the Nishiiyuu (Cree). In the fur-rich region of James Bay, the people of Eeyou Istchee ("The People's Land") were the skilled hunters, trappers and middlemen who supplied the coveted pelts that were brought to trading posts such as Fort Charles, where they were exchanged for imported goods – metal tools, kettles, cloth and more.
Initially, Nishiiyuu and European traders mutually benefitted from this exchange of goods, but as time went on, it proved to be an agent of change. The Nishiiyuu way of subsistence living gradually gave way to a reliance on trade, which was increasingly competitive and led to escalating social problems. Seasonal movement was impeded by the necessity of travelling to the posts. And within the hunting groups that formed the basic unit of society, a new kind of leader emerged – one based on trading and communication skills rather than knowledge of the land. The fur trade shaped this country's history but it also impacted the traditional ways of the Nishiiyuu, who were important partners and contributors to one of Canada's earliest industries.
The Nishiiyuu were skilled hunters and gatherers, but they were also adept middlemen: some would exchange their furs for European goods, which were later traded off to other groups that supplied them with more furs.
According to Nishiiyuu beliefs, animals make themselves available to the hunters who show proper humility and respect. Remains cannot be carelessly discarded, and as a sign of respect, skulls were traditionally hung in trees – a practice that has been incorporated into this coin's design.
On the reverse of the 2021 Early Canadian History: The Fur Trade, artist Sheila Orr has created a captivating visual narrative of a Nishiiyuu family departing from their camp, their canoe loaded with supplies for the trip and bundles of furs destined for the trading post. It is springtime in the mid 1700s; the adults are wearing new caribou hide clothing and their child is dressed in a rabbit fur coat. On land, the fish are drying, the food is cached and beaver skulls are hung from a tree as a traditional show of respect. In the sky, the return of migrating geese heralds a new season: summer, a time for gatherings and celebrations. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Specifications:
Item Number: 2007218
Mintage: 1,200
Composition: 99.99% pure gold
Weight*: 15.43g
Diameter: 29 mm
Face Value: $200
Finish: Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Sheila Orr
Special Features:
- The coin presents a captivating visual narrative of the Nishiiyuu (Cree) experience in the early days of the fur trade (1700s).
- The coin invites you to travel back in time, to the 1700s, for a glimpse of life in Eeyou Istchee. It is the story of the fur trade, told from the perspective of Indigenous trading partners who played an important role in the story of Canada.
- Each coin in this series combines finely detailed engraving and a complex blend of multiple finishes that bring depth to the design. It's masterful storytelling, and all on a 99.99% pure gold canvas!
- Included a complex combination of finishes! Each coin in this series combines finely detailed engraving and a complex blend of multiple finishes that bring depth to a design already imbued with symbolism and meaning. It's masterful storytelling, and all on a 99.99% pure gold canvas!
Packaging:
Comes encapsulated and presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded black clamshell with a black beauty box.
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