This 2014 $20 fine silver coin with selective gold plating is part of a striking new series from the Royal Canadian Mint that chronicles the life cycle of the fierce female cougar. Sightings of the cougar are rare as this secretive hunter passes through the landscape, making her the perfect subject to be captured on a coin. This coin has a diameter of 38mm, and weighs just over one troy ounce of 99.99% fine silver. Mintage is limited to 8,500 coins worldwide. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is GST/HST exempt.

The Design:

The reverse design by artist Maurade Bayton features a female cougar leaping through the snow toward her prey. Viewed from the position of the prey animal, this dynamic portrait presents the cougar's most important hunting tools: her large, powerful fore-paws, highly muscular back legs, long counterbalance tail, strong shoulders for holding down prey, and sharp gaze. In a stylized landscape of snow-covered rocky terrain, she leaps with intense focus toward the viewer. The cougar is finished in gold plating to bring the intensity of the image to life. The reverse displays the words "CANADA", the year "2014", and the face value of "20 DOLLARS" around the rim.

About the Cougar:

Averaging 64kg (140lbs) in weight and up to 3 metres in length, the cougar is noted for its lithe musculature, long hind legs, and a tail that (at almost a metre long) acts as an important counterbalance for the impressive jumper. Cougars are known to disperse up to 1000km from their natal territory to establish their own hunting domains. They are predators of elk, deer, sheep, young moose, and a range of smaller and domesticated animals. Their most necessary requirements when choosing a dwelling are good cover, access to prey, and the privacy that allows the cougar to live the solitary life it enjoys. This solitary elusiveness, however, makes it very difficult for authorities to track and protect the creature.