- Country:Canada
- Collection:Silver Commemorative $20
- Metal:Silver
- Year:2010
- Denomination:$20
- Finish:Complete
- Weight (oz):1.009
- Purity:0.9999
- Mintage:9990
- Product type:Coin
Fine Silver Coin - Water Lily (2010)
A unique collectible honouring Canada's botanical heritage.
Highlights:
This is only the third coin to combine colour and a crystal effect to createa unique keepsake of Canada's diverse flora, with the shine of 99.99%pure silver as the ideal composition for capturing the essence of water.
Coin design:
A beautiful water lily poised between two floating leaves with threeCRYSTALLIZED ª - Swarovski Elements adding delicate drops of glittering water.
Canada's botanical jewels.
Glorious colour and a shimmering crystal effectcombine on 99.99% pure silver to create abreathtaking tribute to the water lily (Nymphaeaodorata), a beautiful water plant that crownsLaurentian lakes from early summer to mid-autumnwith showy pink or white flowers and round greenleaves that can reach up to 28 cm (11 in) in diameter.
The flower's cup-like form is designed for a uniquepollination process. Each lily blooms for only threedays, opening in the morning and closing in theafternoon. On the first day, it releases a sweetsmellingfluid to attract pollen-laden insects thatare washed clean and fertilize the stigmas. On thesecond and third days, the flower releases pollenwhich is carried away by insects that visit theplant. Then, the plant's stalks recoil, pulling theflower under water where its seeds mature andare released into the lake.
Throughout North America, many First Nationscommunities used the water lily's roots, leaves andflowers for medicinal purposes. Even the rhizomes,young leaves and lower buds were eaten and theseeds were fried or ground into flour.
This intriguing beauty also caught the attentionof Brother Marie-Victorin (1885-1944), one ofCanada's greatest botanists and founder ofMontreal's historic Botanical Garden. He includedthe water lily in one of the 2,800 illustrations inhis book Flore laurentienne-a monumental workthat remains a cornerstone reference in universitybotany courses to this day.
Lotus of the north
The water lily is related to the lotus, hailed theloveliest of flowers with powerful symbolismin cultures throughout the world. Much of thissymbolism is attributed to the flower's abilityto emerge from the depths of muddy waters tobring life and beauty to the surface-an imagethat inspired the ancient Egyptian myth of a worldcreated out of moisture.
