This 2014 $20 fine silver coin uses a holographic effect to depict the northern lights weaving across a winter night sky high above the boreal forest. Mintage is limited to 8,500.  As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

A wolf stands howling in the foreground, the ribbons of light seeming to emerge from its muzzle in tribute to the awesome symphony of colour and sound that results when two of nature’s most mystifying phenomena come together. This coin is engraved with the word "CANADA," the date "2014" and the face value of "20 DOLLARS."

The Northern Lights:

The Northern Lights are actually a clash between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. Out there, standing in the dark, Earth’s great lightshow may take on a whole new dimension if the shimmering ribbons of light are accompanied by the sound of howling wolves. It’s one of the most beautiful experiences that the wilderness has to offer; a spectacle so mystifying that generations of sky gazers, adventurers and nature lovers have ventured into the darkness, and long pondered if wolves do indeed howl at the light.

At night, in the dead of winter, light and sound travel much farther, aided by the clear, crisp air. If there’s more light, wolves can also be more active; and as their pack disperses in search of food, they will be calling to each other. Their howls will be amplified by the clear, crisp air, just like the northern lights; and the result for the lucky viewer is a beautiful symphony of colour and sound.