2941) The Bald Eagle (Pygargue à tête blanche), Canada: Second Coin in the Series minted by The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) features $30 (Thirty Dollars - Silver) and $200 (Two Hundred Dollars - Gold) Proof Coins depicting a striking bald eagle pair with a classic design: Date/Year of Coins issue: 04.08.2023:
The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has issued its second Coin in the Series which earlier featured the Mighty Bison. The latest $100 (One Hundred Dollars - Gold) and $30 (Thirty Dollars - Silver) Proof coins, depict one of North America’s most enduring symbols of strength and independence - The Bald Eagle (Pygargue à tête blanche).
About the Bald Eagle:
The Bald Eagle and its representation are shared by all three countries in North America and is featured on the official crests of the United States and Mexico.
These raptors are exclusive to North America, and in Canada, most of the bald eagle population resides along the coast of British Columbia.
Despite its English name of Bald Eagle (“bald eagle”) or its popular name of “white-headed eagle”, it is not an eagle of the genus Aquila but a sea eagle of the genus Haliaeetus.
It is distinguished by its diet, mainly composed of fish, but also by its massive beak and by the fact that its legs are not covered with feathers up to the talons, one of the characteristics specific to true eagles.
While the eagle lives in forests and mountains, the sea eagle prefers lakes, rivers and coastal areas, where it can find its food. As such, it is sometimes referred to as the American "sea eagle" or "fish eagle".
Subdivided into two subspecies - it is found over almost the entire area of North America, from Alaska in the north to Mexico in the south on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
The Bald Eagle in Native American Culture:
The bald eagle was a sacred bird in several cultures of North American Indians who used its feathers for headdresses and religious costumes.
Eagles in general were seen as spiritual messengers between gods and human beings. During pow-wows, several dancers wore the bird's talons as a mark of prestige.
Feathers were used in sacred ceremonies and in the ornamentation of ceremonial garments.
The Lakota gave feathers as an honorary symbol to people who had achieved a feat.
For the Pawnees, these birds were symbols of fertility because their nests are built high up and because they are fiercely protective of their young.
The Kwakwaka'wakw scattered feathers to welcome distinguished guests.
Among the tribes of the Great Plains, during the Sun Dance, whistles were emitted by blowing into an eagle bone.
In the United States, the law specifies that only members of a Native American tribe recognised by the Federal Government can obtain bald eagle or golden eagle feathers for spiritual and religious uses.
The natural range of the bald eagle covers most of North America, from Mexico in the South to Canada and Alaska in the north, including the United States. It is the only species of sea eagle present on the North American continent.
The bald eagle’s natural range covers most of Canada, all of the continental United States, and Northern Mexico.
The bird can live in a wide variety of natural environments, from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran Desert, to the forests of Quebec and New England. Those who occupy the north of the American continent migrate, while the others stay all year round on their hunting grounds.
With seasonal migration, Mexico’s bald eagle population increases significantly, though they very rarely stray too far from their territories. Of the three countries, the United States has the higher population.
Conservation and Threats:
The bald eagle was a common species throughout North America before being threatened by various factors in the mid - 20th century. Bald eagles have been a protected species for decades owing to their decreasing numbers ever since.
The weakening of the eggshell was attributed to the use of the pesticide DDT and to biomagnification.
While DDT is not lethal to adults, it nevertheless affects the bird's metabolism, rendering it sterile or unable to produce viable eggs.
The bald eagle was first protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918, first in the United States and Canada, before this status was extended throughout North America.
The Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940, which also covered the golden eagle, prohibited their commercial capture and hunting.
The bald eagle was declared an endangered species by the United States in 1967 with amendments to the law of 1940 being taken to strengthen trade restrictions and to increase the penalties for offenders.
In 1972, DDT was banned in the United States. In 1989, DDT was completely banned in Canada, after its use had been strictly limited in the late 1970s.
Interestingly, a bald eagle is not bald at all, as when these eagles reach maturity, its head is covered in white feathers.
Despite its name, a bald eagle isn’t bald at all—its head is covered in white feathers. The “bald” part of its name comes from “piebald,” which derives from the Latin word "pica" (“magpie”), while the “bald” part of its name essentially refers to the old English word “bald” meaning “marked with white.”
The bald eagle is the only eagle that is exclusively found in North America.
In Canada, most of the bald eagles reside along the coast of British Columbia as they primarily eat fish, so they tend to live near bodies of water.
Some populations are also found in boreal forests across the country.
The Gold and Silver Coins:
The Obverses and Reverses of the Gold and Silver Coins placed side-by-side.
The Reverse of the $200 (Two Hundred Dollars - Gold) and $30 (Thirty Dollars - Silver) Proof Coins features a portrait of two bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) on a pine bough.
The wildlife portrait captures a picture-perfect moment - it shows a bald eagle pair shortly after landing on a pine bough.
These majestic raptors are positioned in a way that best showcases their features and also implies motion, with the perched eagle holding its wings outward while gazing at its companion, while the newly landed eagle tries to secure its grip using its strong talons.
Above the eagle shown on the left is the year of Coin release, "2023", and the word "CANADA" is positioned below the primary design along the lower edge.
The Obverse of the $200 (Two Hundred Dollars - Gold) and $30 (Thirty Dollars - Silver) Proof Coins includes the memorial effigy of Late Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022), created by Susanna Blunt, which also bears a special marking to the left of the portrait that includes four pearls symbolising the four effigies that have featured on Canadian coins and the double date of her reign - "1952" and "2022".
The denomination "200 DOLLARS" (Gold) or "30 DOLLARS" (Silver) is shown below her effigy.
i) The specifications of the $30 Silver Coin are:
Country of issue: Canada; Date/Year: 04.08.2023; Coin Theme: "The Striking Bald Eagle (Pygargue à tête blanche)"; Denomination/Face Value: $30 (Thirty Dollars); Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 62.69 grams or 2.00 Oz; Diameter/Size: 50.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (P); Minted By: Royal Canadan Mint (RCM); Mintage: 4,500 pieces; Designer: Claudio D’Angelo.
ii) The specifications of the $200 Gold Coin are:
Country of issue: Canada; Date/Year: 04.08.2023; Coin Theme: "The Striking Bald Eagle (Pygargue à tête blanche)"; Denomination/Face Value: $200 (Two Hundred Dollars); Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 31.16 grams or 1.00 Oz; Diameter/Size: 30.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (P); Edge: Serrated; Minted By: Royal Canadian Mint (RCM); Mintage: 600 pieces; Designer: Claudio D’Angelo.
- Each coin is encapsulated and is presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a black beauty box accompanied by a serialised Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
- Multiple frostings add a sense of depth and create a striking contrast between the different design elements, resulting in a more realistic portrait of a bald eagle pair.
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