Description
Born on the rivers of China, dragon boat racing is at the heart of a 2,000-year-old cultural tradition that is steeped in folklore, and full of colourful pageantry. Ultra-high relief engraving brings the Chinese dragon to life on the reverse, which represents a stunning visual celebration of the annual Dragon Boat Festival celebrated worldwide—including several cities across Canada!
SPECIFICATIONS
SRP: $139.95
Item Number: 160575
UPC: 6-23932-08484-1
Composition: 99.99% pure silver
Mintage: 6,000
Weight (g): 30.76
Diameter (mm): 36.15
Face Value: $25
Finish: Proof
Edge: Plain
Artist: Simon Ng
Packaging: Maroon clamshell with black beauty box
SPECIAL FEATURES
- A vibrant celebration of the ancient cultural traditions of Chinese-Canadians, and a creative ode to one of the most adrenaline-pumping competitive sports!
- TRADITION MEETS TECHNOLOGY: Fittingly for such a powerful mythological symbol, our depiction of a Chinese dragon combines traditional artistic elements, show-stopping colour and exquisite engraving!
- ULTRA-HIGH RELIEF FOR A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EFFECT: Struck multiple times to provide unparalleled dimension and depth, the dragon’s carefully sculptured head appears to rise up from the coin’s flat surface and the turbulent waves!
- RE-CREATING THE COLOUR AND PAGEANTRY: Like the ornately decorated dragon boats, the dragon on the reverse is resplendent in selective colour!
DESIGN
The reverse design by Canadian artist Simon Ng offers an artistic tribute to Dragon Boat Festival through the skilful fusion of ancient symbolism, traditional art elements and modern minting techniques. The lower portion of the coin is dominated by foam-tipped waves—an auspicious pattern that also adds a sense of motion to the design. In fact, curved lines are present throughout this water-themed design, including the dragon’s mane that evokes the sensation of wind and movement. Engraved in ultra-high relief for added depth and dimension, the serpentine spirit emerges from the water in a way that mimics the shape of a dragon boat, with its neck curved like a boat’s gunwale. The dragon’s features are resplendent in colourful hues of red, gold, green and blue, culminating in the blue pearl held tight in its jaw as a symbol of wisdom, and the active yang aspect of qi—the life force that surrounds us. The reverse includes the engraved year “2017”, the word “CANADA” and the face value, “25 DOLLARS”. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
