This HUGE 2016 $250 one kilogram pure silver coin (32.15 ounces) is the third to feature mesmerizing enameled eyes.  This coin follows the owl and cougar coin which both quickly sold out and are now extremely difficult to obtain in the secondary market.  The coin is being called “In the Eyes of the Spirit Bear”, and features a mintage of just 500 pieces. The coin is struck in .9999 pure silver with a diameter of 10cm and a high-quality double or triple struck proof finish. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

Colour, design and engraving come together in this rendering of artist Glen Loates’ Kermode bear portrait, beautifully showcased in this impressive $250 coin. Coloured enamel is used to showcase the spirit bear’s eyes. It creates an impression that the viewer and the animal are locked in an exchange of gazes.  

The reverse image features a close-up portrait of the spirit bear. Here, the intense piercing eyes are decidedly fixed upon the viewer. The selective use of coloured enamel ensures the spirit bear’s eyes are the image’s focal point; the distinctive amber-toned irises and black pupils recreates the light-reflective qualities of the animal’s eyes. The bear’s dark nose and mouth, dense fur and stunning brown eyes are given dimensional detail using various engraving techniques.

The Legend of the Spirit Bear:

When Raven first created the world, everything was white. After some time, Raven decided the world needed colour, but as the ice began to melt, people started fighting over the land that appeared. Years passed, more and more animals changed colour and the world became more beautiful than ever, but the people kept fighting over everything. So, Raven decided to remind them where they came from by turning one in every ten bears white.