Canada 2014 Iconic PROUD POLAR BEAR $20 1 Troy Oz Silver Color Proof in FULL OGP

Description: In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!Long SOLD OUT at the Royal Canadian Mint! Sold out at the Mint on pre-release! This masterwork of wildlife fine art by Canadian animal artist Glen Loates depicts a proud polar bear, the King of the Arctic, in pure silver with proof finish and vibrant, full color! Tremendous investment potential here, as well as the meticulous, traditional engraving and extraordinary applied technology for which the Royal Canadian Mint is known world-wide! Commemorate the endangered Polar Bear with this truly scarce, low mintage, full color proof, minted on a full one troy ounce planchet of 99.99% pure silver (the purest on the planet)! Better yet, it's an original work of art by famous wildlife artist Glen Loates! A true investment piece for the discriminating wildlife lover, savvy numismatic investor and/or bear aficionado! The ever popular polar bear, in vibrant, living color and struck purest silver on the planet with a proof finish! The polar bear is highly endangered, as is this proof—it sold out at the Mint on pre-release! We recommend quick action to get in on the ground floor now! A Highly Detailed, Original Work of Art by Wildlife Artist Glen Loates! The intricate design depicts a full-body portrait of a large and powerful polar bear in its natural Arctic environment. The bear looks to the right, its body pointed to the left in a graceful curve. Its massive musculature, huge front and rear paws and vast furred body are presented in minute detail, each claw, hair, and shadow evident. Its large sloping head, small ears and black-nosed muzzle illustrate the renowned physiognomy of this iconic Arctic dweller. The bear stands atop a small rise in an ice field. The vast frozen landscape that the polar bear calls home is evident all around it, from the rugged white terrain upon which this specimen pauses to the vast rocky mountain range in the far distance behind it and the ominously clouded sky that rises darkly above the scene, foreshadowing the challenges of survival this endangered species faces in the coming decades with global warming. The stark shadow cast by the bear on the ice below speaks to the harsh contrasts of this northern realm. The Quintessentially Canadian (and American!) Polar Bear For many North Americans, the profile of a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is as recognizably Canadian as the shape of a maple leaf or the silhouette of a Canada goose. Canada’s polar bears comprise more than half of the entire world's population, since they live primarily in the coastal regions of the Arctic, depending upon sea ice to hunt the ringed seal. The polar bear’s adaptations to its carnivorous lifestyle in the frozen north include a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, dense water-repellent fur the color of snow, fur on the bottoms of its paws for traction and warmth, sharp claws, and an elongated body and huge forepaws that make polar bears great swimmers. Please see the articles lower in this presentation for a more detailed natural history of the proud polar bear! Technology Note - Color The Royal Canadian Mint leads the world with its proprietary colorization technology, in which the color is actually sealed on the coin. The intricate detail, smooth gradients, and extreme precision of the technology create a stunning look on each coin. Purity Note The Royal Canadian Mint refines the purest silver in the world. The RCM is also the only mint in the world to issue commemorative coins in a .9999 fineness. This silver proof coin is 99.99% pure! ObverseA meticulously detailed and finely engraved detail of large adult polar bear surveying its domain atop the crest of a mountain in its native Arctic environment. The traditional-style engraving has produced a magnificent work of beauty. The date and denomination are also indicated. ReverseHer Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in profile facing right. This portrait, the fourth effigy of the queen to appear on Canadian Coinage, was executed by the artist Susanna Blunt. The legend ELIZABETH II D. G. REGINA ("Elizabeth II, Queen by the Grace of God") also appears. Packaging The coin is encapsulated inside a burgundy leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and protected by a black outer sleeve. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included. Specifications Country Canada Year of Issue 2014 Face Value 20 Dollars Weight 31.39 g Diameter 38 mm Mintage Limit 8,500 Finish Proof with Color Composition .9999 Fine (Pure) Silver Edge Reeded (milled, serrated) Artist Glen Loates Certificate Individually Numbered The Largest Terrestrial Carnivore - Endangered The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear (together with the omnivorous Kodiak bear, which is approximately the same size). An adult male weighs between 770 and 1,500 pounds (350–680 kg), while an adult female is about half that size. Although it is closely related to the brown bear, the polar bear has evolved to occupy a narrow ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the seals which make up most of its diet. Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time at sea (hence their scientific name meaning "maritime bear") and can hunt consistently only from sea ice, so they spend much of the year on the frozen sea. As of 2008, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) reports that the global population of polar bears is only 20,000 to 25,000, and is declining. In 2006, the IUCN upgraded the polar bear from a species of least concern to a vulnerable species. It cited a "suspected population reduction of great than 30% within three generations (45 years)", due primarily to global warming. Other risks to the polar bear include pollution in the form of toxic contaminants, conflicts with shipping, stresses from recreational polar-bear watching, and oil and gas exploration and development. The IUCN also cited a "potential risk of over-harvest" through legal and illegal hunting. A little good news - on 15 May 2008, the United States listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and banned all importing of polar bear trophies. Importing products made from polar bears had been prohibited from 1972 to 1994 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and restricted between 1994 and 2008. Under those restrictions, permits from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service were required to import sport-hunted polar bear trophies taken in hunting expeditions in Canada. The permit process required that the bear be taken from an area with quotas based on sound management principles. Since 1994, more than 800 sport-hunted polar bear trophies have been imported into the U.S. Unfortunately, Canada has not followed suite with a hunting ban. The territory of Nunavut accounts for 80% of Canadian kills. In 2005, the government of Nunavut increased the quota from 400 to 518 bears, despite protests from some scientific groups. In two areas where harvest levels have been increased based on increased sightings, science-based studies have indicated declining populations, and a third area is considered data-deficient. While most of that quota is hunted by the indigenous Inuit people, a growing share is sold to recreational hunters (0.8% in the 1970s, 7.1% in the 1980s, and 14.6% in the 1990s). The Government of the Northwest Territories maintain their own quota of 72–103 bears within the Inuvialuit communities of which some are set aside for sports hunters. Complete Certificate Text King of the Arctic The majestic polar bear is a fitting icon for a nation that, like Ursus maritimus itself, has been shaped by the forces of ice, wind, water and stone. Stoic and strong, adaptable and clever, the polar bear has long captivated the Canadian imagination and been held up as a symbol of the northern spirit. As master of its icy domain, the polar bear also reminds us of the ongoing importance of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty—and, increasingly, of the need to protect and preserve a region that is becoming more vulnerable in the face of a changing global climate. Of the 19 circumpolar populations of Ursus maritimus, comprising about 25,000 members, the greatest number—about 15,000—resides in the Canadian Arctic. This truly massive land animal can exceed 600 kilograms, measures about 1.7 metres at shoulder height when standing on all fours, and can reach nearly 4 metres when standing on its hind legs. It lives most of its life on the snow-covered Arctic sea ice, feeding primarily on fat-rich ringed and bearded seals at open water holes called “leads.” As we learn more about the polar bear, the iconic animal’s importance to Canadians grows ever deeper. A true study in adaptation, the polar bear is believed by some researchers to have branched off from a common ancestor with brown bears about 150,000 years ago. Becoming isolated in the glaciated northern environment, the species developed important features that have allowed it to thrive in a land where temperatures can dip below -45 degrees Celsius for much of the year. These features include a thick, colourless pelt that protects it from the cold and camouflages it against the snow, dense fat layers, claws and teeth optimized for hunting and eating seals, fur-covered footpads, foreshortened ears and tail to help retain heat, and more highly-developed scenting capabilities than other bears. As worldwide fascination with the polar bear and its Arctic habitat grows, we can remain hopeful that the incredible survival skills that make it so symbolically poignant for Canadians will also help to preserve this amazing animal for the long term. Copyright © 2023 Talisman World Coins and Medals. All Rights Reserved.

Price: 72.85 USD

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri

End Time: 2023-12-08T17:02:39.000Z

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