This 2013 $20 pure silver coin is the second release in the Royal Canadian Mint's exciting four-part series of 1-ounce fine silver coins featuring the iconic bald eagle as seen from four different perspectives. Low mintage of only 7,500 coins, your coin is rendered in 99.99% fine silver and is GST/HST exempt.
The Design:
The reverse image by Canadian artist Claudio D’Angelo features a pair of bald eagles perched majestically on a rocky shoreline, surveying their territory. One of the pair sits at the centre of the image, gazing sternly at the viewer with its left eye, its face and seated body viewed in three-quarter profile. Slightly behind this eagle and to the left sits its mate, its back turned to the viewer and its open-mouthed profile viewed from the left side. Behind them, a large river flows across the width of the central ground, with a long finger of land jutting out into the water from the right side of the image. In the far background, a dense coniferous forest rises in the foothills of distant mountains, whose jagged white peaks are visible on the horizon. This coin also features unique edge lettering, with the words “1 OZ FINE SILVER 1 OZ ARGENT PUR” engraved around the edge of the coin.
The Bald Eagle:
The bald eagle is Canada's largest bird of prey and the only eagle exclusive to North America. An apex predator with no natural enemies, the bald eagle has long been a potent symbol of vision, power and stoicism. This long-lived bird can survive nearly 30 years in the wild and even longer in captivity. The bald eagle does not reach reproductive maturity until its fifth year of life, at which time the eagle seeks a mate that will likely become its life partner. In some instances, mated adult eagles will seek a new partner if one of the pair leaves the region or dies, or if the pair have difficulty reproducing.
