The diversity of life found in the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans has a profound influence on land—as exemplified by the Pacific salmon featured on this second coin in the From Sea to Sea to Sea series. This species is famous for an epic migration that is nothing short of awe-inspiring, while its economic, cultural and ecological impact have cemented the salmon’s reputation as a true icon of Canada’s Pacific coast.
Designed by Canadian artist Tony Bianco, the reverse image travels to the coastal waters of British Columbia to offer a glimpse of marine life in the Pacific Ocean. The engraved word “CANADA” hangs in the air over the breaking swell waves, which add a sense of motion to the design as they sweep over the increasingly shallow water. Transitioning to the underwater realm, an exceptional amount of detail brings the rock-lined sea floor to life; one can easily imagine the soft swaying motion of the plants as each wave moves overtop in quick succession. Nonetheless, the focus of the design remains the two chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) as they feast on small fish; the use of selective gold plating highlights the intricacy of the engraved design, which recreates the textured appearance of the salmon’s scales and fins to provide a more life-like portrait of this iconic species.
Diameter: 38 mm
Material: Silver
Fineness: 0.9999
Weight: 31.39 g
Bullion Weight: 1.008 Troy Ounces
Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
Reverse: Chinook salmon
Artist: Tony Bianco
Finish: Proof
Series: Sea to Sea to Sea, No. 2 of 3
Quantity Produced: 7500
Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
Theme(s): Wildlife, Nature, Canadiana
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