Description
The TORONTO 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games promise to be a celebration of sport and culture, uniting the Americas in the Host City of Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe region. This sentiment is expressed by the Games motto, United We Play!, which is echoed in this beautifully engraved coin that also marks a numismatic feat: the first-time incorporation of the ancient technique of mokume gane* in a coin design.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
SRP: $139.95
Item Number: 143492
UPC: 6-23932-06384-6
Composition: 99.99% pure silver
Mintage: 8,500
Weight (g)*: 31.39
Diameter (mm): 38
Face Value: $20
Finish: Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Christi Belcourt
Packaging: Maroon clamshell with custom beauty box
SPECIAL FEATURES
- A WORLD FIRST! The Royal Canadian Mint introduces mokume gane* for the first time on a coin. Previously thought to be impossible to achieve, the skilful melding of copper and silver produces an eye-catching motif that adds another level of vibrancy and beautiful dimension to the intricately engraved design.
- Elements of the coin’s design reinforce the Games motto United We Play!, emphasizing inclusion through sport and celebrating the diversity of the Pan Americas region, as athletes come together in Toronto in the summer of 2015 .
- The use of mokume gane* in the gold, silver and bronze medals (also created by the Royal Canadian Mint) offers collectors a unique opportunity to glimpse the beauty of what every athlete hopes to bring home.
- A valuable keepsake to remember this world-class athletic competition and the spirit of the TORONTO 2015 Games long after the last medals have been awarded.
DESIGN
This coin celebrates the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games by bringing together Aboriginal art and elements associated with the Games in an engaging manner. Inspired by the Games logo, curved pictograms emphasize the theme of inclusion through sport; to the left, a ball is used to represent the sun rising in the sky over the Games. Traditionally considered the lifeblood of the earth, the element of water as a sustaining force for athletes and its fluidity are symbolized in the curved lines that represent the rivers, lakes and oceans of the Pan Americas. While skilful engraving adds beautiful detail to the richly layered design, the groundbreaking use of mokume gane* draws the eye to the maple leaf insert. In keeping with the Games theme of coming together, the effect is first created by the fusion of different metal alloys to create one base material, which is then carved, forged and shaped. This creates the intricate pattern symbolizing the blood, sweat and tears of each athlete’s journey to TORONTO 2015, while the one-of-a-kind nature of each coin’s motif reinforces the Games’ overall celebration of diversity. Along the image field, the motto United We Play! is engraved in the three official languages of the TORONTO 2015 Games: English, French and Spanish.
*Mokume Gane is an intricate, labour-intensive process that requires a high level of craftsmanship and metallurgical expertise. To achieve this effect, different metal alloys are layered and fused together to produce a mixed-metal composite; skillful manipulation then creates the distinctive patterns for which mokume gane is renowned.
CREDIT LINES
© “TORONTO 2015”, “TO2015”, “United We Play” and related Games logos and marks are trademarks of Toronto Organizing Committee for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. Used under licence.
RESTRICTIONS
On sale in Canada and US only.
