The Royal Canadian Mint has announced the second issue of the “Birds
of Prey” silver bullion & collector coin series featuring one of the
most recognized and synonymous species of wildlife associated with the
North American continent, that of the Bald eagle.
Revered
in both Canada and the United States, this raptor, once included on the
endangered species list, has made a remarkable recovery, thanks to the
vigilance of many wildlife associations and public education leading to
the protection of their environments enabling them to reach greater
numbers.
When it comes to hunting, the bald eagle’s
most important assets are its eyes, its talons, and its exceptional
diving speed. Eagle vision is about six times stronger than that of
humans.
In addition, transparent nictitating membranes
on their eyes allow eagles to “blink” without losing sight of prey for
even a moment. The eagle’s claws are its key tool for hunting, nest
building and more. Composed of three front toes and one back toe, all
tipped with long keratinous talons.
Its claws are
connected to tendons in the eagle’s legs and feet that allow it to clamp
down on captured prey with crushing force. Once the hunter has spotted
the day’s catch, it will dive at speeds in excess of 120 kilometers per
hour, snatching its prey from the water or ground with lightning speed.
Eagles
can live up to 30 years in the wild and will as circumstances allow,
mate for life. It is the male who predominantly builds the nest and
invites the female to share a new home.
Eagle couples
will raise their young, usually two or three eggs, together, taking it
in turns to incubate and after their young are hatched, will both hunt
and share in their feeding and protection.
Eagle
parents will continue to feed their juvenile eaglets even after they
fledge and pass on their survival skills of hunting and until they fly
away to live their life of soaring the skies and beginning the cycle of
life once again in safer ecological conditions.
The
coin, designed by Emily Damstra depicts a bald eagle (Haliaeetus
leucocephalus) just having caught a fish. The eagle dominates the image,
its stunning wings spread wide in flight as it is viewed in full-body
profile from its left side.
The bald eagle’s
characteristic dark body and wings, white head and tail, and powerful
legs and talons are prominently featured. The obverse includes the
current portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Susanna Blunt
and in use on all circulation and most commemorative Canadian coins
since 2003.
Denomination Metal Weight Dimensions Quality Mintage
5 Dollars .999 silver 31.3 grams 38 mm. Proof 7500 pieces
5 Dollars .999 silver 31.3 grams 38 mm. Bullion 1,000,000
This
coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded
maroon clamshell with black beauty box. The first coin in this series,
featuring the Peregrine Falcon and launched in February 2014, is now
approaching a sell-out of its mintage of one million bullion-strike
coins.
This issue also includes a mintage of one
million pieces struck as a bullion-related item which is available for
purchase through retail channels.
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