- Country:Canada
- Collection:Silver Commemorative $50
- Metal:Silver
- Year:2019
- Denomination:$50
- Finish:Complete
- Weight (oz):5.067
- Purity:0.9999
- Mintage:588
- Product type:Coin
A fixture on antique maps, compasses, and even modernnavigational systems, the Rose of the Winds connects explorers past and present. It is a centuries-old symbol of exploration that suggests a world of possibilities in every direction-and a reminder of where a person's "True north" lies. The immovable marker is the star of this coin's complex design, which could only be brought to life by high intricacy casting. Surrounded by vintage map art elements, our elaborate compass rose features fixed points for every cardinal direction, and for the winds that have led seafarers since ancient times. It is a look back at the romance of exploration in an era when terra incognita still appeared on nautical charts-a time when our sense of wonder was greater than our scientific understanding.
A stunning 5 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin featuring vintage map art elements! Order today!
Special Features:
A DESIGN THAT PUTS THE "ART" IN "CARTOGRAPHY!" This pure silver coin captures the romance ofexploration through the classic art of cartography.
A 5 OZ.-SIZED TRIBUTE! Only a 5 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin could provide theright size of canvas (65 mm) for such an elaborate design that defies the ages.
ORIGINAL ART, BUT A VINTAGE LOOK! From mythical creatures to fleur-de-lis symbol of the north, this all-new design is inspired by classic map art and cartography elements that ensure an authentic vintage feel.
HIGH INTRICATE CASTING SENDS THE ROSESOARING! The compass rose rises to new heights on the reverse, where its 16 fixed pointshave an almost 3D-like appearance.
FROSTED TO PERFECTION! A full range of frosting techniques was the only way to do justice to the art, which also features multi-faceted engraving on every level. The resultis a true showpiece that has the unmistakable gleamof supreme craftsmanship.
LIMITED WORLDWIDE MINTAGE!Limited mintage of 750 coins makes this sought-after coin a rare collectible.
INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE! The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of itscollector coins.
Design:
Designed by Pandora Young, your coin combines several cartography elements that hark back to a bygone age of discovery. The design is centred on a compass rose, also known as the Rose of the Winds or wind rose, which is brought to life by high intricate casting. The symbol's 16 fixed points are set against engraved lines that emanate from a centre circle and form a 32-point compass rose. A fleur-de-lis marks the north "N" position; it is also a representation of a person's "True north," like a moral compass in theface of the unknown. Cresting waves and an inner ring of etched clouds frame the image, which includes a network of wind rose lines and a mythical creaturein each quadrant. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
"When I was little, my parents had a wonderful book that contained a beautiful antique star chart. I used to pore over the intricate, hand-etched characters overlaying the constellations conjured in the imaginations of those who raised their eyes to the sky. With this coin design, I realized the best approach was to simply indulge my passion for mapsand atlases! I am celebrating the wind rose for what it is, and all the genius and artistry and inspiration surrounding it." Pandora Young, Artist
Did you knowÃ
The compass rose (or wind rose) made its first appearance in the late-13th century. Compared to the cluttered directional lines of older maps, thecompass rose is a simple (but beautifully ornate) way of indicating the orientation of the directions on a map. Today, a contemporary compass rose motif can be seen on compasses, modern nautical charts and navigational systems, including global-positioning systems (GPS) and very high frequency omni-directionalrange (VOR) system.
A compass roses may feature four, eight, 16 or even 32 points(both are on the coin's reverse). While the four-point compass rose is limited to the main winds/cardinal directions (north, east, south, west), a more common eight-point symbol includes four cardinal directions and four ordinal directions (northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest). Sixteen points add the intermediate cardinal points (north-northeast, east-northeast, etc). And the mariner'scompass rose takes it a step further with 16 extra fractional divisions (i.e. north by east, northeast by north, etc). Naming all 32 points is known as "Boxing the compass."
Maps didn't always feature the north as the primary direction. Some map makers drew charts with southern points at the top, and European cartographers occasionally looked to the east-the direction of Jerusalem in the Mediterranean region-as the map's starting point.
The fleur-de-lis has appeared on compass rosessince the 16th century. It may be a French symbol, but the fleur-de-lis first appeared on a wind rose credited to a Portuguese cartographer. Before that, the letter "T" for "tramontane" (the name of the northerly wind) often represented the north.
