One of the most popular sets of coins produced each year by the Royal Canadian Mint is the Specimen Set. This collection features some of the highest quality coins struck for collectors, all housed in an elegant book format presentation. Six denominations from five cents to two dollars comprise the set, including the elusive low-mintage half-dollar which is not issued for circulation. The highlight of the set is a unique one dollar coin featuring the Swift Fox. This highly collectible coin cannot be found in circulation or in any other coin set. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
While the presentation and quality of coins are excellent, this set remains affordably priced for collectors or to give as a gift. Ideal to mark the birth of a new baby, any birthday, graduation, wedding or other event.
Unique Commemorative Loon Dollar Design Featuring Swift Fox:
Designed by Canadian artist Claude Thivierge, the set-exclusive specimen $1 coin features a depiction of the Swift fox (Vulpes velox) running through the mixed-grass prairies. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.
Did You Know?
The swift fox is North America’s smallest wild canine —it’s slightly smaller than a housecat. On average, a mature male will weigh about 2.45 kilograms and measure about 80 centimetres long (the length of its tail alone is 28 centimetres).
There’s a reason it’s known as “swift”: this nocturnal omnivore can run faster than 60 kilometres per hour! It spends a lot of its time underground (abandoned badger holes make for great dens). Above ground, it tends to stick to open areas with short or medium mixed grasses that won’t obstruct its view. Before its reintroduction, the last swift fox was sighted in Alberta in 1938. It was declared extirpated (extinct in one area but existing elsewhere) from Canada in 1978. After successful re-introductions, the species was designated “endangered” in 1998, then downgraded to “threatened” in 2009—a hopeful sign, but also a reminder that conservation is an ongoing process.
