This 2013 25 cent coin is the 12th in an extremely popular series featuring birds of Canada. Although the nominal face value is 25 cents, this is very different from a circulation issue coin.  This collector issue features a large 35 mm diameter, and is struck and coloured using advanced striking and coin painting processes. Mintage 17,500.

The Design:

The design features a painted barn owl in full flight, viewed from its left side as it flaps its broad white and gold wings, perhaps readying itself to swoop in silence on its unsuspecting prey. The owl's left profile is rendered to stunning effect, with the side of its distinctive oval face, snubbed beak and small, piercing black eye beautifully portrayed against the sunset. Its long legs and sharp talons are held aloft below its short, square tail feathers. In the background is a wire fenced field of tall grasses flanked, in the far background, by an abandoned barn—one of the barn owl's preferred nesting spots. The pinkish sky of sunset meets the field on the horizon. Combined with beautiful artwork by Trevor Tennant, the 2013 Barn Owl is a quality collector coin.