2025 Canada 25-cents Lost Designs From the Archives: Emanuel Hahn's Polar Bear Fine Silver (No Tax)

2025 Canada 25-cents Lost Designs From the Archives: Emanuel Hahn's Polar Bear Fine Silver (No Tax)

A Hahn original revived in 2025, originally for Masters Club members. Order today!

The first two coins in the Royal Canadian Mint’s Masters Club exclusive Lost Designs from the Archives series brought to life two of Emanuel Hahn’s long-forgotten coin concepts from 1936, both of them featuring a flora theme. For 2025, the focus switches to some of Hahn’s original fauna designs, beginning with his polar bear concept for the 25-cent coin.

All of Hahn’s hand-drawn details have been beautifully reproduced on this 2 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin, even the original year “1936”. The Royal Canadian Mint took it one step further by using selective gold plating to add an extra rich gleam to this 2025 tribute, which comes with a special Masters Club certificate featuring a reproduction of the archival art from one of Canada’s most renowned sculptors and coin artists.

In April 1936, 12 Canadian artists (including Emanuel Hahn) were invited to submit designs for Canada’s coin modernization program. A total of 76 drawings were submitted for review, but since there were only four denominations that were due to receive new designs (it was already decided that the 50-cent coin would feature Canada’s Coat of Arms), many were rejected, including Hahn’s polar bear concept.

Harkening back to a 1936 design competition and efforts to modernize Canada’s coins in 1937, your coin’s reverse brings to life the “polar bear” 25-cent circulation coin concept submitted by Canadian sculptor Emanuel Hahn. While the design wasn’t selected for use on a Canadian coin, the original pencil sketch was archived and now resides in the National Currency Collection of the Bank of Canada Museum. The hand-drawn concept has been closely re-created on this coin’s reverse, which features a polar bear standing on an ice floe; behind the bear is a stylized representation of what is now believed to be the sun, hanging low on the horizon and casting rays of sunlight in the otherwise star-filled polar sky. In keeping with the historical period re-visited on the 1936-dated reverse, the 2025-dated obverse features the effigy of King George V by Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal.

Specifications:
RCM Number: 250079
Mintage: 2,500
Composition: 99.99% pure silver with selective yellow gold plating
Weight: 62.69 g
Diameter: 50 mm
Face Value: 25-cents
Finish: Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Emanuel Hahn (reverse), Sir E.B. Mackennal (obverse)

Special Features:

• Originally issued for Masters Club members. Dig into the archives of Canadian history with this low-mintage series originally available to Masters Club members.
• Coin #3. Coin #3 brings to life another unused coin concept from Emanuel Hahn for the 1937 modernization of Canada’s circulation coinage. Unlike the 2018 Royal Canadian Mint Coin Lore: The Coins That Never Were set, which marked this design’s first ever appearance on a coin, this 2025 tribute has kept the original year (“1936”) intact on its reverse.
• New for 2025: gold plating. The 2025 instalments are enhanced with selective gold plating. This marks the first time these archived designs have been given the gold (plating) treatment, resulting in a stunning contrast between the plated field and the elements struck in silver.
• From flora to fauna. In 2025, the series turns its focus to Hahn’s fauna-themed concepts.
• Close reproduction. The engraving is based on the original pencil sketch, which has been preserved as part of the National Currency Collection (NCC) of the Bank of Canada Museum. The drawing has been reproduced as closely as possible to honour Hahn’s vision.
• 2 oz. silver. Meticulously crafted in 2 oz. of 99.99% pure silver and featuring a luminous proof finish.
• A historical effigy. Further connecting the past and present, your coin’s obverse re-creates the effigy of King George V, as seen on coins issued in 1936, during the process to modernize Canada’s coins.
• Low mintage. Only 2,500 coins are available, and this design’s only other appearance on a coin, as part of the 2018 Royal Canadian Mint Coin Lore: The Coins That Never Were set, made a big impression – the set sold out very quickly!

Packaging
The coin is encapsulated and presented in a lacquered Royal Canadian Mint-branded case with a black beauty box.