2014 Canadian $30 Canadian Monuments: National Aboriginal Veterans Monument - 2 oz Fine Silver Coin

2014 Canadian $30 Canadian Monuments: National Aboriginal Veterans Monument - 2 oz Fine Silver Coin

The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument, located in Ottawa’s Confederation Park, pays tribute to the military contributions that Canadian Aboriginal men and women have made throughout Canadian history. The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to release this very special 99.99% pure silver coin to honour the contribution and sacrifice of Aboriginal members of the Canadian armed forces.

Commemorate the contribution and sacrifice of Aboriginal members of the Canadian Armed Forces with this beautiful coin. Order yours today!

Features

A FIRST: By popular demand, first ever use of the same image found on the 5-kilogram silver version.
UNIQUE COIN SIZE: Only the fourth time the Royal Canadian Mint has issued a full 2-ounce 99.99% pure silver coin at a sizable 54 mm diameter.
Your beautifully designed coin is made of 99.99% pure silver and features images from Canadian First Nations artist Noel Lloyd Pinay’s symbolically rich sculpture.
Your coin is GST/HST exempt with a low limited worldwide mintage of only 5,000.

Design

Your coin features images from the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument designed by Canadian artist Noel Lloyd Pinay. As on the statue itself, the image is crowned with an eagle, also known as the Thunderbird, its wings spread. This figure is the symbol of the Creator and the embodiment of the spirit of the Aboriginal people of Canada. Standing beneath the outspread wings of the Thunderbird are four human figures who, on the monument itself, gaze in the four directions of the compass: a First Nations man, an Inuit man, a Métis man and a First Nations woman. The four human figures are accompanied by the four animal spirit guides that stand guard at the four corners of the statue’s base: wolf, bear, elk, and bison. Each of these creatures has characteristics held in high esteem by Aboriginal warrior traditions. Those guided by the bear hope to be granted tremendous strength and healing power. Followers of the wolf value the attributes of intelligence, courage, and love of family. The elk, also known as the red deer or wapiti, is respected for its speed, sharp senses, and power in battle. The massive bison is a model of strength and stability.

The aboriginal people of Canada have fought alongside and as part of the nation’s military since the colonial period. Motivated by the potential for adventure, a steady pay cheque, and strong community support, more than 4,000 Aboriginal people enlisted in the First World War and more than 3,100 in the Second. After the Second World War, Aboriginal peoples enlisted in all three services and fought in Korea and later in Afghanistan. Aboriginal men and women also served in Europe as part of the Canadian deterrent against the Warsaw Pact and have served as peacekeepers on all major Canadian missions from the first United Nations mission in the Sinai in 1956 to operations in the former Yugoslavia. Their skills and knowledge have been highly valued. As Canadian Rangers, Aboriginal Canadians helped provide a first line of surveillance along Canada’s Arctic and northwest Pacific coasts, and from the 1950s they have also served as instructors for Arctic survival courses.

The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument offers a uniquely Aboriginal perspective on the interconnectedness of war and peace, and humanity and the natural world. Drawing from key elements of Aboriginal cultural traditions, it intertwines symbols in a beautiful tribute that tells a powerful story. Executed in bronze with a diamond brown granite base, the five-metre monument tells the story of Aboriginals’ vital role in historic events at home and abroad.

Topped by the figure of the Thunderbird, a First Nations man, an Inuit man, a Métis man, and a First Nations woman gaze to the four points of the compass. They are accompanied by the four animal spirit guides that stand guard at the four corners of the statue’s base: wolf, bear, elk, and bison. Each of these creatures has characteristics held in high esteem by Aboriginal warrior traditions.

Packaging

Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with a standard beauty box.

Specifications

Face Value: $30
Mintage: 5,000
Composition: 99.99% Silver
Weight (g): 62.67
Diameter (mm): 54
Finish: Proof