2017 1oz $20 VENETIAN UNDER THE SEA: SEAHORSE FINE SILVER COIN

The sea has its secrets, for beneath the ocean waves lies a hidden realm filled with enchantment and wonders of all shapes and sizes! This colourful underwater paradise is home to awe-inspiring creatures such as the diminutive seahorse (Hippocampus), whose unique appearance is artfully showcased in the first of a three-coin series that combines colour, engraving and beautifully sculpted glass elements.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Item Number: 154338
UPC: 6-23932-07774-4
Composition: 99.99% pure silver
Mintage: 7,500
Weight (g): 31.39
Diameter (mm): 38
Face Value: $20
Finish: proof
Edge: Serrated
Artist: Maurice Gervais
Packaging: Maroon clamshell with black beauty box

SPECIAL FEATURES

• FIRST of three 99.99% pure silver coins in an exquisite NEW series called “Under the Sea” featuring some of the marvels found in Canadian waters!
• An RCM FIRST: Mosaic murrini! The seahorse-shaped glass element is the result of a laborious handcrafted process in which different colours of glass rods (stringers) are layered and fused together to form a colourful mosaic that reveals the final image when sliced.
• The handcrafted nature of both the murrini element and its glass enclosure make each coin unique.
• Despite its delicate appearance, the glass embellishment is sculpted from borosilicate glass, which is highly resilient yet lightweight.

DESIGN
The reverse design by Canadian artist Maurice Gervais offers a glimpse of the hidden underwater world off Canada’s Atlantic coast, thanks to its depiction of a shallow sea grass habitat. The application of vivid coloured enamel over the detailed engraving recreates the textured rocks, seashells and swaying green grasses that line the sandy ocean floor. To the right, a handcrafted glass embellishment by Canadian glass artist Loïc Beaumont-Tremblay contains a striking seahorse-shaped mosaic murrini element. The mosaic-based approach to this glass art technique lends itself well to recreating the seahorse’s speckled colouring, while other features such as its bony armour, pointed snout and curled tail are equally captured in extraordinary detail. The murrini piece has its own “armour,” thanks to its resilient glass enclosure sculpted from borosilicate glass.