 |
 |
 |
|
2022 Canada $1 Bigger Picture: The Loon 5oz. Fine Silver (No Tax)
A solitary loon gliding across a vast lake—it’s an image that speaks to the grandeur of Canada’s sweeping wilderness, and that portrait is the reason Canada’s dollar coin was dubbed the “loonie” shortly after its debut in 1987. But what if there’s more to the loon’s story? This 5 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin invites you to zoom in on the iconic coin design and pull back to view a new and bigger picture, one that suggests the dollar’s loon isn’t so lonely after all! By inserting the loon in an expanded lake setting, the combined art highlights the beauty of Canada’s freshwater ecosystems.
When referring to Canada’s loons, most people think of the common loon (Gavia immer), and for good reason: in the summer, Canada is home to roughly 94% of all common loons, and most of them are found in Ontario and Quebec.
Four different loon species are found in Canada: the common loon; the yellow-billed loon, which has the smallest population; the more numerous (but seldom seen) Pacific loon; and the smallest member of Canada’s loon family, the red-throated loon.
Loons are awkward on land, so you’ll likely find their nest on or near the water’s edge. The female lays one or two eggs and both parents take turn incubating them for up to 30 days. Within hours of hatching, the chicks are able to swim or hop onto their parents’ back for a ride. The parents remain with the chicks for about three months, and then it’s up to the young adults to find their own way.
The coin’s reverse combines Robert-Ralph Carmichael’s iconic $1 coin design, selectively gold-plated, with a new, expanded lake scene by Canadian artist Claude Thivierge. The horizon extends outward from the dollar’s reverse design and toward a rocky, tree-lined shore. The dollar’s solitary loon now appears as one-half of a breeding pair—a male watching his family from a distance, while a female loon remains at the nest site with their chicks. The obverse features a maple leaf pattern and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Specifications:
Item Number: 203499
Composition: 99.99% pure silver with selective gold plating
Mintage: 1,300
Weight: 157.6 g
Diameter: 65.25 mm
Face Value: $1
Finish: Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist:
- Reverse: $1 coin: Robert-Ralph Carmichael; Extended Background: Claude Thivierge
- Obverse: Susanna Blunt
Special Features:
• A creative concept! Pull back and see the bigger picture - this is coin #4 in an inspiring series from the Royal Canadian Mint!
• A new take! They’re Canada’s circulation coins as you’ve never seen them before! Re-created on a 5 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin, each coin design forms the basis for a newly expanded story that puts a fresh spin on a collector favourite.
• A loonie anniversary! The $1 circulation design has been selectively gold plated to mimic the look of the actual loonie. It’s purely a celebration of Canada’s famous engraved art, sized to fit this expanded canvas and story! (Note: The engraved reproduction is not the same size as the actual circulation coin.)
• 5oz. of Pure Silver! Each of these coins is crafted from five ounces of the world’s finest silver (99.99% pure). That high silver content gives each coin a diameter of 65.25 mm (the same as the Royal Canadian Mint's previous Big Coin series), which provides ample room for elaborate art and complex engraving.
• Field Pattern! Each coin in this series features a maple leaf pattern that fills the field on the obverse.
• Low mintage! An exciting collecting opportunity for those who love Canada’s circulation coins! But hurry – mintage is limited to just 1,300 coins worldwide.
Packaging:
The coin is encapsulated and presented in a premium Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell case with a black beauty box.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
