2018 $3 CANADIAN COASTS ATLANTIC COVES FINE SILVER COIN

Shining out from sheltered coves, cliffs and beaches, the lighthouses on our rocky eastern shores have long been beacons of guiding light for seafarers. Canada’s Atlantic coast is the last stop on the limited Canadian Coasts series of square coins, which feature a mix of engraved and goldplated images that offer a glimpse of the region’s rich and varied maritime heritage.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• A SQUARE COIN! Canadian Coasts is a limited series of three square-shaped coins that are a combined tribute to the longest coastline in the world, and the three oceans that line Canada’s shores: Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic.
• BIG ON DETAILS: At (27 mm), the engraved reverse is incredibly detailed.
• AN ARTISTIC TOUCH OF GOLD: Gold plating adds a rich hue to the rim and the iconic landmark of Atlantic Canada: a lighthouse on the rocky shore. Given the amount of minute details, this artistic touch is an extraordinary feat that required a high level of precision!
• RICH IN SYMBOLISM, ANY WAY YOU LOOK AT IT: The highly symbolic images are arranged in a pattern that bears a striking resemblance to the points of a compass. The design is the same, even when you turn the coin!

DESIGN:

The sun rises over the East Coast in this reverse design by Maurade Baynton, where the craggy rocks symbolize the rugged coastline and its many sheltered coves. From its central position, the gold-plated sun casts a warm morning light that illuminates Canada’s oldest operational lighthouse, the Sambro Island Lighthouse, one of many such landmarks that embody the region’s history and spirit. An impressively sized marine mammal, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) symbolizes the diverse marine life found in the waters of the North Atlantic and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where whale-watching has become a popular tourist attraction. Anchoring the corners of the design is the lobster (Homarus americanus), an icon of the Atlantic fishing culture and an economic powerhouse. Gold plating also highlights the rim that frames the reverse, to reinforce the idea that everything in nature is beautifully interconnected. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.