This 2014 $500 fine silver coin was released in a spectacular 5-kilogram size-only the third of its kind from the Royal Canadian Mint! It was created in honour of the Aboriginal men and women who contributed their lives to the Canadian Armed Forces.
The design on this coin is a graphic interpretation of the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument by Lloyd Pinay, a First Nations sculptor whose father took part in the D-Day assault in World War II. The bronze monument, seen on this coin in a sort of expanded view, depicts a golden eagle (or Thunderbird) which stands as a symbol for the creator, and as a symbol of the Aboriginal people. Underneath this Thunderbird are four human figures, facing the four points of a compass and representing the First Nations people, the Inuit people, and the Metis people. The artist incorporated a female figure into the sculpture to acknowledge not only the efforts of Aboriginal nurses during wartime, but of the women who maintained their families alone while the men were at war. The figures seen on the monument, and subsequently on the coin, hold not only weapons, but spiritual objects: an eagle feather fan and a peace pipe. The four animal figures along the bottom of the sculpture in each corner represent spirit guides, each with special symbolism: the wolf represents family values; the buffalo stands for tenacity; the elk for wariness; and a bear symbolizing healing powers. The word "CANADA" is nestled between the outstretched wings of the Thunderbird, which also extend past the frame of the image.
The vast 180mm diameter of this coin is a stunning canvas for this work of art; the coins were struck with pressures as high as 2,500 tonnes, up to eight times, giving the illustration on the reverse a wonderfully sculptural effect. This 5-kilo coin is struck in 99.99% pure silver, and has an extremely low mintage of only 150 coins. It comes encased in an acrylic box, with an elegant Canadian walnut wood box. As a pure silver coin, this item is GST/HST-exempt.
Diameter: 180mm
Material: silver
Fineness: 0.9999
Bullion Weight: 160.75 Troy Ounces
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse: The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument in Ottawa's Confederation Park - a tribute to the military contributions of Canadian Aboriginals
Finish: Proof
Series: Canadian Monuments
Quantity Produced: 150
Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
Theme(s): Aborinals, Monuments
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