- Country:Canada
- Collection:Silver Commemorative $20
- Metal:Silver
- Year:2018
- Denomination:$20
- Finish:Complete
- Weight (oz):1.009
- Purity:0.9999
- Mintage:6000
- Product type:Coin
Between AD 800 and 1050, the Vikings dared to do whatother European sailors in their time would not: they sailed into open waters and well beyond any sight of land. They did so without any hint of modern navigational tools to aid them in their voyage; instead,they relied on their senses, intuition and a vast understanding of nature to guide their ships far and wide-across the North Atlantic onto our easternmost shores, and into the annals of Canadian history!
The perfect coin for someone who enjoys Viking history! Order today!
Special features:
OUR VOYAGE THROUGH THE VIKING AGE COMES TO A CLOSE! Yours is the third and final coin in a three-coin series that re-visits the Viking Age, to a time when the naval expertise of Norse seafarers left an imprint on history wherever their ships came ashore-including Canada'seast coast. Previous coins in your series include:
Northern Fury (priced at $104.95, available while supplies last)
Dragon's Sail (priced at $104.95, available while supplies last)
INCLUDES FOUR RUNIC LETTERS! Included within the frame of your coin are four runic letters that represent the cardinal points (north, east, south and west), a tribute to theseafaring nature and exploratory spirit of the Vikings!
NORSE ART-INSPIRED BORDER! Selective colour highlights the Norse art-inspired border that frames our portrayal of a Norse ship c. AD 1000, with a special focus on the commandingnature of its fearsome dragon figurehead!
VIKINGS IN CANADA! Your coin re-imagines Viking ships, as they likely appeared a millennium ago, when a Norse encampment was established onthe site of L'Anse aux Meadows, N.L.-a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America to date!
A TIMELESS QUALITY! The circular nature of the frame speaks to the timelessness of the Viking spirit, while the knotwork exemplifies the beauty of traditional Norse art.
INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE! Regardless of special packaging, the Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins!
LOW MINTAGE! Set to 6,000 coins worldwide, this limited collectible is sure to be highly sought after.
ONE-OUNCE 99.99% PURE SILVER COIN! Your coin has no GST/HST!
Design:
Designed by Neil Hamlin, your coin presents an artistic representation of a Viking ship at sea. An overhead view helps convey the dauntless spirit of the Norse mariners and captures the majesty of a dragon ship (dreki or drakkar) as the wind fills the striped sail. This unique perspective places extra emphasis on the elaborately carved figurehead at the prow, which gave the ship its name and was intended to ward off evil spirits. Selective colour draws the eye to the frame, which bears a Norse art-inspired motif of intertwined serpents in the Jellinge art style circa AD 1000, or in the time of Leif Eriksson's voyage fromGreenland to Vinland (Newfoundland). Also included within the frame are four runic letters that represent the cardinal points (north, east, south and west), a tribute to the seafaring nature and exploratory spirit of the Vikings. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Did you knowÃ
Whether raiding, trading or exploring, the seafaring Norsemen of the Viking Age travelled northto the Barents Sea; east to the Caspian Sea; south to North Africa; and west to Canada's North Atlantic coastline - and perhaps furthersouth, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
In 1960, the discovery of the remains of eight buildings in Norse style at L'Anse aux Meadows, N.L., provided the first archaeological proof that Norsemen had reached our shores! Further excavation at the site uncovered many artifacts of wood and metal that date back to around AD 1000, amongthem a small cloak pin. There was also evidence of the first iron smelting in the New World taking place here.
Viking warships differed from those built for trade and exploration. Longships such as the skeid were longer and narrower, while the trade-friendly knarr was wider to accommodate more cargo and was favoured for longer journeys-including those toVinland and Greenland.
