Canada 20 Dollars - Elizabeth II, 2016

20 Dollars - Elizabeth II from Canada. Issued in 2016. Struck in Silver (.9999). Measures 38 mm and weighs 31.39 g.

Obverse

Head on the right of Queen Elizabeth II, 77 years old, without crown, wearing a necklace and earrings.

Reverse

The piece, by Canadian artist Glen Loates, features a selectively colored engraving of a baby barren-ground caribou, just a few weeks old and not yet weaned from its mother's milk. Curious, it looks up and turns its head to face the observer. Selective touches of color bring the detailed engraving of the young animal to life, recreating the contrasts between pale brown and salivary white, as well as the charcoal tones of its eyes, muzzle and hooves. At the fawn's feet stretches a mosaic of pastel hues, a brilliant assortment that evokes the colorful explosion of vegetation triggered by the arrival of spring on Canada's northern tundra. The lichens, purple saxifrage and herbaceous plants in full bloom provide a nutritious meal for the female caribou, captured here in minute detail as she stands close to her offspring. The mother and calf need to gather strength for their arduous journey across the wide open spaces, etched in the backdrop, where the calf herd will join the other caribou on the coastal plains.

Edge

Serrated