- Country:Canada
- Collection:Silver Commemorative $50
- Metal:Silver
- Year:2018
- Denomination:$50
- Finish:Complete
- Weight (oz):5.07
- Purity:0.9999
- Mintage:588
- Product type:Coin
Its genus name is Megaptera, meaning "huge wings"-an apt designation for the acrobatic humpback whale, given its spectacular breaching displays. This summer visitor to our northern waters moves with an energetic gracein and above thewaves, propelled by a fluke as unique as our fingerprints. But in a barrier-breaking gesture, that same tail raised in the water signals its imminent dive back into the deep; and in that brief moment, we are reminded that life above and below the surface is beautifully interconnected.
Continue your soapstone coin collection and order your 5 oz. pure silver whale's tail coin today!
Special features:
FIRST COIN IN SOAPSTONE SERIES SOLD OUT! The 2018 polar bear soapstone coin sold out! Don't be disappointed, order your coin today!
LOWER MINTAGE! Another reason not to delay ordering this gorgeous coin today isthat the mintage is 300 coins lower than the 2018 polar bear!
A SCULPTED PIECE OF COLLECTIBLE ART! A multi-dimensional, marine-themed showcase that pairs a traditional soapstone sculpture with cutting-edge finishing techniques.
HAND-CARVED CANADIAN SOAPSTONE!Rising up from your coin's surface, the smoothly sculpted whale's tail is hand-carved by Canadian artist Dave Zachary and his team of sculptors.
EACH ONE IS UNIQUE! Soapstone is known for its natural variation of colours and marbling, meaning no two tails-and no two coins-are exactly alike.
TRANSLUCENT ENAMEL OVER A PROOF FINISH! The translucent enamel gives the water its sparkling, Arctic-blue colour, while allowing a glimpse of the (engraved) whales swimming just below the surface.
WIDE COIN DIAMETER! With a diameter of 65.25 mm, the coin's surface provides a large base for the soapstone sculpture and an abundance of space for finely rendered details.
SAFELY PROTECTED! A dome-like capsule keeps your coin safely protected from the elements.
INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE! TheRoyal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.
5 OZ. 99.99% PURE SILVER COIN! Your coin has no GST/HST!
LIMITED MINTAGE!Only 1,000 coins will be made worldwide!
Design:
The ice-cool waters of Northern Canada catch the eye in your coin's design by Royal Canadian Mint engraver Cecily Mok. An even application of translucent enamel over a proof finish stands in for the ocean's sparkling Arctic-blue waters, while allowing a glimpse of what lies below: the engraved outlines of ahumpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and its calf. The large cetacean signals its intent to dive by raising its fluke above the water, where it is represented in sculptural form. Hand-carved by Aboriginal artist Dave Zachary, the tail smoothly arches above the coin's surface andis made from Canadian soapstone, with colour and marbling variations that make each piece unique. Icefloes edge the waters and bear the engraved words "CANADA" at top, while the face value "50 DOLLARS" and the year "2018" are at the bottom. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Did you knowÃ
The mottled pattern on the underside of the fluke is unique to each whale. By photographing and cataloguing eachpattern, researchers are able to identify individual whales and track activity, including their long-distance migration.
The act of raising the tail before a deep dive is known as fluking. Humpbacks are also known tolobtail, when they raise the tail before forcefullyslapping it on the surface.
Humpbacks are powerful singers! Their varied moans, clicks and cries can carry quite a distance, and formsome of the most complex songs of any marine mammal.
