Canada 10 Dollars Silver Coin 2014 Bison
O Canada series
Obverse: Susanna Blunt’s design of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Reverse: The reverse design by Canadian artist Trevor Tennant presents a portrait of three adult bison and a bison calf in their natural habitat. On the left in the foreground, the small knob-kneed calf walks calmly beside three adults as they graze with their enormous heads bent to the low grasses of the prairie. The largest adult, furthest from the viewer, has its head slightly raised as though listening and watching for danger. The bison's shaggy fur and the colour variations between adults and calf are beautifully rendered through masterful engraving and the use of varied finishes.
Mintage: 40000.
Composition: 99.99% pure silver.
Finish: matte proof.
Weight: 15.87 g.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Edge: serrated.
Face value: 10 Canadian Dollars.
Artist: Trevor Tennant (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse).
Manufacturer: Royal Canadian Mint.
The North American continent's heaviest land animal is Bison, bison known commonly as the American bison. For millennia, the American bison and its ancestor dominated much of central North America, from what is now Alaska, down through the Canadian prairies and American Midwest, as far south as central Mexico and as far east as near the Appalachians of the United States. In the tens of millions, they wandered along ancient feeding routes so well worn that they are still visible from the air today. Many of these routes, particularly in the United States, were eventually used as wagon trails and, later, for railway beds. By the end of the nineteenth century, though, over-hunting and large-scale exterminations by European settlers had reduced bison numbers from more than 60 million to only a few hundred. Concerted conservation efforts throughout the twentieth century helped to bring the numbers of wild bison up in both Canada and the United States. In total, there are estimated to be about 30,000 non-domesticated bison in Canada and the United States today and several hundred thousand raised on ranches.
Special features:
• The eighth coin in the Royal Canadian Mint's exciting new 2014 O Canada series focusing on iconic Canadian images, this coin features one of Canada's most potent wildlife symbols: the ancient and powerful bison.
• Masterfully crafted by Royal Canadian Mint engravers using a variety of engraving techniques and finishes to bring depth and texture to this stunning image of Canadian wildlife.
• A beautiful gift or collectible for those who love wildlife, natural images, original artwork, and Canadian themes.
