This 2015 $25 pure silver coin from the Royal Canadian Mint is the third coin in a four part series which tells the Native Canadian story of how the stars of the night sky came to form the Big Dipper.    Even the packaging for this set is creative and interesting, with the outer boxes joining together to form one cohesive story, including glow in the dark imagery. Mintage is limited to just 7,500.  As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.   

The Design:

The design on this coin features an image of the hunters in traditional dress, face paint and ceremonial shield with a bear claw motif, about to rise into the sky with the already-ascending bear. The coin contains just over an ounce of pure silver, and combines a vibrant and artistic full colour image with glow in the dark technology.  When the lights go off, the stars glow brilliantly, forming an image of the three great hunters and the bear, or the big dipper. 

 

The Big Dipper:

The seven stars that make up the Big Dipper are arguably one of the most recognized formations in the night sky. They are visible year-round from northern latitudes, and have inspired countless legends around the globe. Many First Nations legends describe the Big Dipper as a great bear who is hunted ceaselessly by three hunters. The third issue in this four-coin series recounts how the hunters tracked the bear across the earth, and bravely followed it into the sky.