More than a decade after the Mint first presented the world with its largest and purest gold coin, this incomparable 2011 $350 99.999% pure gold coin continues to reign as one of the most sought-after acquisitions among collectors. Mintage is limited to 1,500 coins. HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

A cluster of mountain avens blossoms reach for the sun above a bed of oak-like leaves.

Mountain Avens:

If you’ve ever hiked the mountains of western Canada, chances are your path was lined with roses; the tiny white and yellow flowers that carpeted the landscape as far as the eye could see.

The mountain avens is a dwarf member of the rose family that grows at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere in Canada, the Alps and the Arctic. Its genus was inspired by the Greek oak-nymph (Dryas) to reflect the oak-like shape of its leaves.

Dryas integrifolia is a particularly hardy species that was declared the official floral emblem of the Northwest Territories in 1957. Its short woody stems support individual flowers that spring into bloom as soon as the snow melts. They are heliotropic, following the sun’s path across the sky to absorb maximum solar energy, an ingenious design to ensure this delicate, yet hardy rose thrives in its challenging clime.