This 2017 five coin pure silver subscription comes complete with a custom paperboard box that is as colourful as the coin’s reverse. Lift the lid to uncover a delightful surprise: it doubles as a music box—complete with a musical element that recreates the bird’s enchanting song! As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
Coin No. 1: Chickadee - March, 2017
Flittering from branch to branch, the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is an enchanting sight at backyard feeders and in woodlands across much of Canada. This friendly and inquisitive little songbird is one of our beloved year-round companions; it is one of the many species of birds that breed in Canada, where their interactions with the environment leaves us with a greater appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us—as beautifully showcased in this unique five-coin series. When you purchase the encapsulated coin as part of the subscription, you will receive a custom paperboard box that is as colourful as the coin’s reverse. Lift the lid to uncover a delightful surprise: it doubles as a music box—complete with a musical element that recreates the bird’s enchanting song!
The reverse image by Canadian artist Jean-Charles Daumas deftly combines sumptuous colours and intricate engraving that leaves one with an appreciation for nature’s beauty. The selective application of colour recreates the soft pink and white hues of the magnolia (Magnoliaceae) blossoms, which evoke a warm, sunny day in May. One can imagine the musical call of the blackcapped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) filling the air as it sits perched on the branch; engraved in outstanding detail, the diminutive chickadee presents its right-side profile to allow the viewer to study its body shape and narrow tail.
Coin No. 2: Northern Flicker - April, 2017
The reverse image by Canadian artist Jean-Charles Daumas captures the delicate beauty of springtime in Canada’s many forests. Returning to its breeding range after wintering in the south, the northern flicker is positioned vertically on a tree limb to allow a full view of its distinctively patterned plumage. Intricate engraving captures its likeness in outstanding detail, from the relatively long bill to the darker markings on its tail and upper wing feathers. Towards the base of the tree, selective colour adds a bright splash of colour to the woodland scene. Red, green, yellow and white paint beautifully recreate the three-leaf clusters of red trillium and white trillium, which carpet the forest floor each April and May.
Coin No. 3: Tufted Titmouse - May, 2017
This coin features the bright-eyed expression of the tufted titmouse. Its colouring is a soft silvery gray above and white below, with a rusty coloured wash down the flanks. It is a vocal visitor to birdfeeder, and is often seen flitting about in the company of other foraging birds. The tufted titmouse is very acrobatic as it moves from branch to branch. The front of the coin is engraved with the face value of “10 DOLLARS.”
The reverse design by Canadian artist Derek C. Wicks features a pair of tufted titmice that are delicately perched on the branch stubs of a flourishing birch tree. Facing the opposite direction, one titmouse presents its side profile while the other has its head turned for a three-quarter view of its meticulously engraved features—from the pointed crest atop each bird’s head to their expressive facial features. Selective colour highlights the bright summer tints of a yellow birch, whose bronze bark complements the yellow-green leaves.
Coin No. 4: Purple Martin - June, 2017
This coin
features the Purple Martin with its smooth gliding and morning song. The black-blue songbird is a delightful sight when it returns again and again to the nesting boxes and birdhouse we put up for them. The front of the coin is engraved with the face value of “10 DOLLARS.”
The reverse design by Canadian artist Derek C. Wicks features a richly detailed, engraved portrait of a purple martin. Canada’s largest swallow is viewed from below, its claws firmly gripping a stalk of foxglove. Its forked tail and long, slender profile give the martin an elegant air as it turns its head towards the left side of the coin, as though studying its surroundings for signs of insect prey. Selective colour conveys the soft glow of a warm summer morning, when the sun’s early rays shine down upon the pastel-coloured tubular flowers that cast a gentle shadow behind them.
A unique approach that stands out from previous bird-themed series: Selective colour highlights nature’s colourful appearance, while enhancing the finer details that bring the engraved bird to life! A beautifully artistic and meaningful gift for bird-watchers, nature lovers and art appreciators alike.
Coin No. 5: Nuthatch - July, 2017
Named for its habit of pecking at its meal, the white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a bundle of energy that thinks nothing of creeping down a tree headfirst, or hanging upside down from a vertical branch! The fifth and final coin in the Birds Among Nature’s Colours series captures its beauty in stunning engraved detail amid the deep green hues of Canada’s boreal forest. A unique approach that stands out from previous bird-themed series: Selective colour highlights nature’s colourful appearance, while enhancing the finer details that bring the engraved bird to life!
The reverse design by Canadian artist Derek C. Wicks features a precision-engraved portrait of a female white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). This little songbird is positioned in a way that offers a side profile view of its facial features as it lifts its long bill upwards; meanwhile, an overhead view of its back and wing plumage reveals a patterned appearance that is artfully conveyed by the detailed engraving. Selective colour recreates the effect of sunlight alternately illuminating and casting shadows along the needled branch of a white spruce (Picea glauca), where a cone provides a sense of the nuthatch’s size.
