2011 - 2012- 4 Coin Set - 5$ - Sterling Silver and Niobium Coins - Full Moon

By undertaking the technical complexities of producing a niobium coin, these Royal Canadian Mint “firsts” set the bar high for unmatched colour and lustre. Each niobium core was selectively oxidized to create a unique finish—no two coins are exactly alike!

Coin design:
A young buck stands poised before a full Summer moon; a hunter patiently tracking his quarry; a howling wolf set against a backdrop of a full Winter moon; a cluster of phlox blossoming before a Spring moon. Each colouring selectively applied to the niobium insert enhances the season's theme.

Timekeeper for the Algonquin people.
In North America, the First Nations tribes that comprise the Algonquin people looked to the moon to track time. They assigned a name to every full moon to reflect the seasonal activities that accompanied each cycle. Theirs was a vast territory that extended from Lake Superior to the eastern seaboard, resulting in a variety of names throughout the Algonquin community. The buck, hunter, wolf and pink full moons represent summer, autumn, winter and spring.

July is the quintessential month of summer. Its full moon is known as Thunder Moon or Summer Moon, but its most common name is Buck Moon to reflect the fact that bucks in the North American wilderness are beginning to grow new antlers—a vision of elegance and strength inspired by the ever-changing cycle of life. Specifications
Mintage: 7500
Composition: 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper (outer ring) niobium (inner core, reverse) and 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper (inner core, obverse)
Finish: proof
Weight (g) 8.5
Diameter (mm)28
Edge: interrupted serrations
Certificate: serialized
Artist: John Mantha (reverse) , Susanna Blunt (obverse)