This 2014 $20 pure silver coin celebrates the time-honoured tradition of Aboriginal storytelling through a series of coins that depict an Ojibwa tale. The design captures a pivotal scene within the story, in which the hero is pursued by angry Thunderbirds after he has taken feathers from their young. Mintage 8,500. HST/GST exempt.

The Design:

Designed by Canadian artist Cyril Assiniboine, who is Ojibwa, the coin depicts Nanaboozhoo climbing a cliff to get to the Thunderbirds’ nest, where he has plucked feathers from the young birds (seen in the upper right side of the image).  The adult Thunderbirds have since returned to the nest and are angered by Nanaboozhoo’s actions. With lightning flashing from a Thunderbird’s eye and thunder rolling from its beak, Nanaboozhoo quickly flees from the Thunderbird’s wrath while clutching the feather-adorned arrow in his right hand.

Nanaboozhoo is wearing a traditional Western Ojibwa dress. In his right hand he holds a wooden arrow already adorned with the feathers he has grabbed from the Thunderbirds.  An adult Thunderbird soars on outstretched wings as he angrily pursues Nanaboozhoo can be seen in the background. This coin is engraved with the word "CANADA," the date "2014" and the face value of "20 DOLLARS."