This 2014 $20 fine silver coin features the beloved black-capped chickadee in a winter scene, enhanced with dazzling Swarovski elements. The coin weighs just over one ounce of pure silver, and has a limited mintage of just 7,500 pieces. As a pure silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint, this item is HST/GST exempt.
The Design:
The design by artist Steve Hepburn presents a black-capped chickadee perched up on a snow-covered branch as delicate snowflakes drift down and around it. The branch it sits on is enhanced with five artfully-integrated red Swarovski elements that make up bright red winter berries, which dangle in the wind. The sparkling red berries glitter against the mirror-like background, emulating the effect of a winter landscape. The word "CANADA", the year "2014" and the face value of "20 DOLLARS" appear around the rim of the coin.
The Black-capped Chickadee:
The Black-capped Chickadee, which is New Brunswick's provincial bird, has a distinct and recognizable call, "chicka-dee-dee-dee". Both the male and females of the species look alike, with a short bill, a black cap and a black bib on the throat. Black-capped Chickadees are busy birds who spend most of their time scavenging. They are known for storing food for later periods of scarcity, and are able to remember, with intense accuracy up to 28 days, both the locations of the hidden food and the type of food at each location.