Description
2014 $50 FINE SILVER COIN
SWIMMING BEAVER
Theme:
This coin celebrates the beaver, one of Canada’s most beloved and iconic animals.
Description:
This 50-dollar coin is 99.99% pure silver, with a metal weight of 5 ounces and a diameter of 65 millimetres.
The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
The image by Canadian artist Emily Damstra occupies the entirety of the reverse field. It features a portrait of a beaver in mid-dive, a gnawed portion of a tree gripped firmly by the beaver’s chisel-shaped incisors. The beaver’s elongated body is at the forefront, stretching from one edge to the other, as it navigates the familiar confines of its pond. Acting as a natural rudder, its iconic, leathery tail helps the beaver steady itself in the water. Its hind feet propel it towards the bottom of the pond, where it will add the long, leafy branch to its underwater food reserves in preparation for the oncoming winter. The word “CANADA” is engraved along the bottom left edge of the coin, next to the face value of “50 DOLLARS” and the date “2014.”
Special Features:
- This finely detailed coin is a celebration of one of Canada’s most beloved national animals in its natural habitat.
- A unique gift and collectible that celebrates Canada’s natural landscape, its fauna, and one of its most widely recognized icons.
- A striking addition to any Canadiana - or nature-themed collection
Product Specifications:
Item Number:126079
UPC:6-23932-04923-9
Face Value:50 dollars
Mintage:1,500
Composition:99.99% fine silver
Weight (g):157.6
Diameter (mm):65
Edge:Serrated
Finish:Proof
Certificate:Serialized
Artist:Emily Damstra
Advertising Date: November 5, 2013
Launch Date: November 5, 2013
Finished Packaging Size:
117 mm x 96 mm
Packaging:
Coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell case lined with flock and protected by a black sleeve.
Complete Certificate Text:
Adaptations in Action: The Amphibious Beaver
For many who have spent time near Canada’s lakes and wetlands, the sight of the industrious beaver (Castor canadensis) offers a unique glimpse of Canada’s national symbol in its natural habitat. Its flat, wide tail is unmistakable, as are the razor-sharp incisors that can fell up to 200 trees per year. On land, the animal’s rounded body shape gives it an awkward, slower gait; yet under water, its unique traits transform it into a graceful swimmer capable of reaching speeds of up to 7 kilometres per hours.
Once-prized by fur traders, the beaver’s coat acts as insulation throughout the seasons, and a regular grooming routine keeps the fur covered with castor oil to give it its waterproof qualities. Underwater vision is ensured thanks to a transparent membrane over the beaver’s eyes, while valves in its nose and ears block out water. The beaver can also draw its lips closed behind its trademark incisors, which allows it to gnaw underwater. While its webbed hind feet help propel the animal in the water, its smaller, more dexterous forepaws allow the beaver to dig and carry land-based materials to its aquatic habitat.
They are nature’s natural loggers and engineers – beavers will alter their environment by building dams to raise water levels, or divert water flow with canals. In fact, they will devote most of their time to building and maintaining all of their structures, including their lodge. This habitat is typically a cone-shaped mound of sticks and mud that rises above the water line, thus offering dry living areas inside for the family group. Two underwater entrances allow for a quick exit in case of a predator’s intrusion. These also allow the beavers to emerge from their den and feast on their underwater food reserves during the winter, or to head for land in the spring and summer to feed on an herbaceous diet.
