Description
2018 $20 Fine Silver Coin – Nocturnal By Nature: Cunning Cougar – Canada’s largest wild cat is a model of patience, stealth and agility in the wild, where it adroitly climbs, skulks and pounces on its prey. Black-as-night rhodium plating sets the tone for a nighttime prowl on this fourth Nocturnal by Nature coin, where the cunning cougar would likely go undetected, were it not for the polished shine of the silvery moon.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- FOURTH in a series featuring surprise encounters with some of Canada’s nocturnal wildlife.
- A CREATIVE TWIST ON TRADITIONAL wildlife portraits thanks to a skilful mix of engraving, plating and finishes.
- BLACK RHODIUM PLATING re-creates the night on the obverse and reverse, where moonlight reveals the cougar in our midst.
- A SUBTLE COLOUR SHIFT: Tilt the coin from side to side to view a natural colour shift in the rhodium plating — from dark black to gun-metal grey, and hints of purple or blue.
- A timeless addition to any wildlife-, nature- or Canadiana-themed collection, but also a valued piece that will be treasured for its artistic merit.
DESIGN
The reverse design of 2018 $20 Fine Silver Coin – Nocturnal By Nature: Cunning Cougar by Tony Bianco steps into the Canadian wilderness on a moonlit night, where the viewer gets a rare glimpse of a secretive nocturnal hunter. Rhodium plating stands in for the dark night and fills most of the field, except for the full moon engraved at the centre. The polished shine of the coin’s silver surface mimics the effect of moonlight spilling across the nocturnal setting, revealing the shadowy figure of a cougar (Puma concolor). The side profile view highlights the spectacular agility of this muscular wild cat, whose large paws and sharp claws allow it to move nimbly along the twisted tree limb.
