783) "Keepers of Parliament" Coin Series, Canada: The second coin in the 10 Oz. selectively Gold-plated Silver Coin features the "Beaver" issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in August 2018:
For other interesting posts on Canadian Coins/Banknotes on this Blog, please visit the following links:
For other interesting posts on Canadian Coins/Banknotes on this Blog, please visit the following links:
10) Pacific Sunset: Canadian Coasts Square 3 Coin Series" The first $3 Silver-Gold plated Coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint on 04.07.2018
11) "Keepers of the Parliament Coin Series, Canada: The second coin in the 10 Oz. selectively Gold-plated Silver Coin features the "Beaver", issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, in August 2018
11) "Keepers of the Parliament Coin Series, Canada: The second coin in the 10 Oz. selectively Gold-plated Silver Coin features the "Beaver", issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, in August 2018
The Royal Canadian Mint has issued its second coin in the Series titled "Keepers of Parliament" in August 2018, which is more or less, on the lines of the Royal Mint, UK Series titled "The Queen's Beasts". The Coin Series focusses on the exquisite and impressive sculptures that stand at the main entrance to Canada's stately Peace Tower building.
Four coins are going to be included in the Series - Ihe Unicorn (issued in June 2018), the Beaver (August 2018), the Soldier (October 2018) and the Lion (December 2018).
This Coin Series highlights the elaborate stone-work figures that which that watch over the front doors of Canada Parliament.
This Coin Series highlights the elaborate stone-work figures that which that watch over the front doors of Canada Parliament.
The inspiration for the Coin Series:
The Centre Block's (main building of the Canadian Parliamentary Complex located on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Ontario) vaulted entrance way was still unfinished, when the Peace Tower was inaugurated on the Peace Tower was embellished a decade later, when a team pf sculptors worked on uncarved blocks of sandstone and transformed them into an intricate display of floral motifs, animals and heraldic devices - including the Beaver, which is the national animal of Canada.
The Beaver (Second Coin in the Series):
The Reverse of the 100 Dollars selectively Gold-plated Silver coin placed against a background of an ice-covered forest area
From atop the Centre Block's arched entryway, "Castor Canadensis" (the North American Beaver) extends a uniquely Canadian "welcome" to everyone who visit the Peace Tower. This seat of honour is indicative of the Beaver's special significance, for few other species invoke the spirit of Canadian wilderness and embody more than 300 years of history, exploration and industry.
As a symbolic representation of present day Canada, the Beaver predates the Maple Leaf by a few hundred years.
In 1621, ithe Beaver first appeared on the Coat of Arms of William Alexander who was granted the title to land now known as Nova Scotia.
The Beaver's first official use as an emblem of New France came in 1690 with the creation of the "Kebeca Liberta" medal, which celebrated Louis de Buade de Frontenec's victory in the Battle of Quebec.
Designed by sculptor Cleophas Soucy, the shield-supporting metre-high Beaver sculpture was carved out of sandstone in the fall of 1938 (more than 10 years after the initial inauguration of the Peace Tower).
In 1975, the Beaver's historic importance led to its official recognition as "a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada".
Biological importance: Without Beaver dams, much of the water in the numerous small streams throughout Canada would flow unchecked through the landscape.
By impounding water and felling trees, Beavers not only provide themselves with wood for their lodges and twigs for their food, but they also open up dense woods, creating opportunities for a variety of plants and animals. Because of this, they have been called a "keystone species" in temperate and Boreal Forest aquatic eco-systems.
National importance:
Before the arrival of Europeans, the Beaver was an honoured animal for communities like the Huron.
In 1534, European settlers learned about the Beaver which had a great impact on the development and history of Canada.
In the late 1600s and 1700s, the fashion of the day demanded that beaver pelts be used in fur hats. The rich-pelted Beaver was the staple of the fur trade that prompted Europe's commercial interest in North America.
In 1678, The Hudson Bay Company put four Beavers in its Coat of Arms to show how important the hard working animal was to the Company.
Beaver pelts were considered the most valuable by the 17th & 18th Centuries. The pursuit of Beaver pelts led to the exploration of vast regions of North America.
As such, the Beaver is presently the National animal of Canada, designated as such on 24.03.1975.
The Commemorative Coin:
As a symbolic representation of present day Canada, the Beaver predates the Maple Leaf by a few hundred years.
In 1621, ithe Beaver first appeared on the Coat of Arms of William Alexander who was granted the title to land now known as Nova Scotia.
The Beaver's first official use as an emblem of New France came in 1690 with the creation of the "Kebeca Liberta" medal, which celebrated Louis de Buade de Frontenec's victory in the Battle of Quebec.
Designed by sculptor Cleophas Soucy, the shield-supporting metre-high Beaver sculpture was carved out of sandstone in the fall of 1938 (more than 10 years after the initial inauguration of the Peace Tower).
In 1975, the Beaver's historic importance led to its official recognition as "a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada".
Biological importance: Without Beaver dams, much of the water in the numerous small streams throughout Canada would flow unchecked through the landscape.
By impounding water and felling trees, Beavers not only provide themselves with wood for their lodges and twigs for their food, but they also open up dense woods, creating opportunities for a variety of plants and animals. Because of this, they have been called a "keystone species" in temperate and Boreal Forest aquatic eco-systems.
National importance:
Before the arrival of Europeans, the Beaver was an honoured animal for communities like the Huron.
In 1534, European settlers learned about the Beaver which had a great impact on the development and history of Canada.
In the late 1600s and 1700s, the fashion of the day demanded that beaver pelts be used in fur hats. The rich-pelted Beaver was the staple of the fur trade that prompted Europe's commercial interest in North America.
In 1678, The Hudson Bay Company put four Beavers in its Coat of Arms to show how important the hard working animal was to the Company.
Beaver pelts were considered the most valuable by the 17th & 18th Centuries. The pursuit of Beaver pelts led to the exploration of vast regions of North America.
As such, the Beaver is presently the National animal of Canada, designated as such on 24.03.1975.
The Commemorative Coin:
The Reverse of the 100 Dollars Gold plated Silver Coin
The coin is struck on a 10-Ounce pure Silver planchet.
The Reverse side Design of the Coin shows a rare close-up of the Beaver sculpture that stands atop the ceremonial entrance on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
The deliberate positioning of the Beaver helps convey the height of one metre of the actual stone sentinel, while a frontal view emphasises the facial features and textural details.
The deliberate positioning of the Beaver helps convey the height of one metre of the actual stone sentinel, while a frontal view emphasises the facial features and textural details.
The industrious animal emblem of Canada grips an unusual shield bearing the floral emblems of five European cultures that figure prominently in Canadian history - the English Tudor Rose, the Scottish Thistle, the Irish Shamrock, the French Fleur-di-Lis and the Welsh Leek.
The Beaver has been painstakingly brought to life where crisp lines and very finely engraved details stand out against a brilliant Proof finish. The selective gold plating on the Beaver coin provides an elegant touch befitting the regal creature and makes for an excellent tribute to the original carved piece of art on the Peace Tower and highlights the heraldic element and a scattering of maple leaves.
To the right of the sculpture is an ornamental flourish and the floral motif is based on a frieze that also adorns the Centre Block's grand entrance.
On the left side periphery of the primary design is mentioned the denomination of the coin "100 DOLLARS", the name of the issuing country "CANADA" and the year of issue "2018".
The Obverse of the 100 Dollars Gold plated Silver coin
The Obverse face of the coin shows an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, with the peripheral inscriptions - "ELIZABETH II.DG REGINA" (meaning "Elizabeth II, Byt the Grace of God Queen").
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination/Face Value: 100 Dollars; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Silver (Ag) with selective Gold plating; Coin Quality: Proof; Diameter/Size: 76.25 mm; Weight: 311.54 grams or 10 Oz; Edge: Serrated; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Serialised; Mintage: 750 pieces; Designers: Patrick Belanger (Reverse), Susanna Blunt (Obverse); Mint: Royal Canadian Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
The specifications of this coin are:
Denomination/Face Value: 100 Dollars; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Silver (Ag) with selective Gold plating; Coin Quality: Proof; Diameter/Size: 76.25 mm; Weight: 311.54 grams or 10 Oz; Edge: Serrated; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Serialised; Mintage: 750 pieces; Designers: Patrick Belanger (Reverse), Susanna Blunt (Obverse); Mint: Royal Canadian Mint; Year of issue: 2018.
The coin is specially encapsulated to accommodate its extra-large diameter and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint branded maroon clamshell with a black beauty box and accompanied with a serialised Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
Some Beaver Facts:
a) At the end of the Pleistocene (10,000 years ago), Canada was home to the giant Beaver (Castoroides ohioensis), which was similar to its present-day counterpart except that is was bear-sized and had 15 cm long lower incisors. Giant Beavers, like mant other large herbivores such as mammoths and ground sloths, went extinct at that time.The species which exists today is the European Beaver (Castor fiber).
b) Beavers are found throughout Canada, North to the mouths of the Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers on the Arctic Ocean. In the rest of North America, the Beaver's range extends throughout Southwestern Alaska and most of the states South of the 49th Parallel.
c) Canada's national emblem, the Beaver is a "keystone species" responsible for creating vital wetlands that support almost half of the species on Earth. 50% of North America's threatened or endangered species rely on Beaver wetlands for survival.
b) Beavers are found throughout Canada, North to the mouths of the Mackenzie and Coppermine rivers on the Arctic Ocean. In the rest of North America, the Beaver's range extends throughout Southwestern Alaska and most of the states South of the 49th Parallel.
c) Canada's national emblem, the Beaver is a "keystone species" responsible for creating vital wetlands that support almost half of the species on Earth. 50% of North America's threatened or endangered species rely on Beaver wetlands for survival.
d) The average Beaver dam in Canada is 10 to 100 metres long - rarely do they reach 500 metres. In Northern Alberta's Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest Beaver Dam discovered to date (by satellite). At 850 metres long, it has been there since the mid-1970s, with several generations of Beavers adding to its size.
e) Beavers eat vegetation only, being herbivores. Their diet includes twigs, foliage, bark and aquatic plants. They eat leaves, inner bark and twigs of aspen, alder, birch, cottonwood, willow and other deciduous trees. Beavers also eat shrubs, ferns, aquatic plants, grasses and crops, including corn and beans etc.
f) Beavers are relatively docile creatures, staying busy building dams and stockpiling food for the winter. They have a few predators, such as foxes or bears, that Beavers can sometimes successfully fight off. However, Beavers build elaborate shelters that serve as the best protection from predators.
g) Beavers can live upto about 10 years or so in the wild. Some Beavers are known to have lived to about 20-30 years in captivity.
e) Beavers eat vegetation only, being herbivores. Their diet includes twigs, foliage, bark and aquatic plants. They eat leaves, inner bark and twigs of aspen, alder, birch, cottonwood, willow and other deciduous trees. Beavers also eat shrubs, ferns, aquatic plants, grasses and crops, including corn and beans etc.
f) Beavers are relatively docile creatures, staying busy building dams and stockpiling food for the winter. They have a few predators, such as foxes or bears, that Beavers can sometimes successfully fight off. However, Beavers build elaborate shelters that serve as the best protection from predators.
g) Beavers can live upto about 10 years or so in the wild. Some Beavers are known to have lived to about 20-30 years in captivity.
h) Beavers are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes.
i) Beavers are monogamous, mating for life.
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