Description
The Canadian Arctic is a place of beautiful extremes that are home to some of the world’s most unique and resilient creatures, including the mighty polar bear. This fine silver coin is the first to feature the Royal Canadian Mint’s latest innovation, Dimensional Paint, which creates the illusion of peering
through real water to catch a 3D-like underwater view of Ursus maritimus, the “maritime bear.”
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
SRP: $199.95
Item Number: 168161
UPC: 6-23932-09296-9
Composition: 99.99 % fine silver
Mintage: 4,000
Weight (g): 62.69
Diameter (mm): 50
Face Value: $30
Finish: Proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Tony Bianco
Packaging: Standard maroon
clamshell with black beauty box
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- DIVE INTO OUR ARCTIC WATERS: Step into the pristine Arctic wilderness on the reverse, where the combination of classic engraving and a new, 3D-like colour effect strikes the perfect balance between tradition and innovation.
- A GROUNDBREAKING FIRST: Introducing Dimensional Paint, an RCM exclusive paint technique in which layers of colour are carefully arranged to produce a more dimensional image.
- LIKE LOOKING THROUGH WATER: Below the waterline, the 3D-like effect creates the illusion of looking through real water.
- POLISHED PROOF FINISH adds a bright shine to the engraved elements above the waterline, like sunlight striking the sea ice and reflecting it back into the atmosphere.
- A SIMULATED WILDLIFE-VIEWING EXPERIENCE: A celebration of a beloved Arctic icon, the touching scene on the aquatic-themed reverse holds special appeal for collectors, art appreciators and nature enthusiasts
DESIGN:
The reverse image by Tony Bianco travels to the floe edge in the Canadian Arctic, where a split view offers a glimpse of life above and beneath the sea ice. Above the water, an engraved polar bear cub steps to the edge of a gleaming iceberg and peers into the icy sea. The waterline forms the boundary between this silvery world and the colourful one beneath the surface, where a mother polar bear and her cub have plunged into Canada’s northern waters. The first-time use of Dimensional Paint adds a 3D-like effect to the icy underwater scene, where colour layers create the illusion of real water atop the coin’s surface. The reverse includes the engraved words “CANADA 2018”. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.