This 2017 $20 fine silver coin is the second coin in
the series Bejeweled Bugs, and features a gemstone-adorned bumble bee on a one
ounce fine silver coin. Buzzing from
flower to flower, the hard-working bee is a true gem in our gardens and fields,
where its quest for nectar makes it a pollinating wonder. This little agricultural
helper gets the royal treatment on the coin’s reverse, where an array of genuine
gemstones add a colourful sparkle to an exquisite bee poised atop an engraved
floral setting. Adding
to its collectability, the mintage is extremely limited
to just 4,000. As a pure silver coin
struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
The reverse
design, by Canadian artist Jori van der Linde, presents a beautifully stylized
portrait of a bee against a decorative floral backdrop. Inspired by tulip
blooms and curly pea vines, a contemporary floral pattern provides a whimsical
garden setting that includes flowers, leaves and curly flourishes. All are
meticulously engraved and crisply defined in a stunning proof finish, which
enhances the sparkle of the rhodium-plated bee on the coin’s surface. The
jewellery-like piece is adorned with a captivating array of semi-precious and
precious gemstones, including: round black sapphire on its head, thorax and
abdomen; citrine stones arranged
over gold plating to re-create the bee’s characteristic yellow markings; and an
array of white topaz that fills the
delicate wings and gives them a colourless twinkle, to mimic the luminous
effect of sunlight.
A sterling silver chain and bezel kit is available for purchase separately under item BEZEL00138.