Pure Silver Coin - Nocturnal by Nature: The Cunning Cougar

FOURTH COIN IN SERIES! Night sky re-created with black rhodium plating! A must-have!

Canada's largest wild cat is a model of patience, stealth, and agility in the wild, where it adroitly climbs, skulks, and pounces on its prey. Black-as-night rhodium plating sets the tone on this fourth Nocturnal by Nature coin, where the cunning cougar would likely go unnoticed, were it not for the polished shine of the silvery moon.

A coin you will want to show to friends and family.

Special features:

• FOURTH COIN IN SERIES! Your coin is the fourth use of black rhodium plating that lends itself perfectly to recreating the dark night sky and allows the moon's uniquely frosted finish to shine through. Previous coins in the series include:
• Barn Owl (currently sold out on mint.ca)
• Little Brown Bat (still available while supplies last)
• Howling Wolf (still available while supplies last)
• AN INNOVATIVE TWIST ON TRADITIONAL WILDLIFE PORTRAITS! An artful mix of engraving, selective plating and finishes come together in this unforgettable portrait of a species whose howl is synonymous with the Canadian wilderness.
• BLACK AS THE NIGHT! Selectively plated with black rhodium, a precious metal, for enhanced value and aesthetic appeal. To achieve the look of a nighttime setting, layers of rhodium plating are carefully built up to achieve just the right level of darkness for a moonlit night.
• SILVERY MOONLIGHT! The effigy and moon offer the only glimpse of the silver coin's beautiful proof finish, which heightens the luminous beauty of the engraved moon in the sky and illuminates the cougar's silhouette.
• COLOUR SHIFT! When you tilt your coin from side to side, you'll see a subtle (and natural) colour shift in the rhodium plating—from black to a gun-metal grey, even hints of purple or blue. An added layer of artistic detail!
• INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE! The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins. Most of these are serialized certifications, meaning that each certificate is given a unique number, starting at 1.
• LOW MINTAGE: Only 7,000 coins will be made available worldwide. Hurry and order yours today before they are all gone!
• ONE-OUNCE 99.99% PURE SILVER COIN!

Design:

Designed by Tony Bianco, your coin steps into the Canadian wilderness on a moonlit night, where the viewer gets a rare glimpse of a secretive nocturnal hunter. Rhodium plating stands in for the dark night and fills most of the field, except for the full moon engraved at the centre. The polished shine of the coin's silver surface mimics the effect of moonlight spilling across the nocturnal setting, revealing the shadowy figure of a cougar (Puma concolor). The side profile view highlights the spectacular agility of this muscular wild cat, whose large paws and sharp claws allow it to move nimbly along the twisted tree limb. Also engraved on the reverse are the words "CANADA", the face value "20 DOLLARS" and the year "2018". The selectively rhodium-plated obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

• The cougar goes by several names: English settlers in the east once referred to it as a panther; Americans refer to it as a mountain lion; and in Latin America, it is known as the puma.
• It is a strong swimmer and climber that can jump more than six metres high. Sharp claws help the cougar climb, but also give it a strong biting grip.
• Unlike the wolf, the cougar isn't built to outrun its prey; instead, the cougar will closely and quietly follow its target until the hunter can pounce, quickly driving its canine teeth into the back of the neck or biting the throat for a quick kill.

Packaging:

Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with a black beauty box.