Venture north with the first of our Animal Portraits featuring close-up views of animal icons.

Step into the wild, or let it come to you, with the new Animal Portraits series of selectively gold-plated 99.99% pure silver coins! This first coin travels to Canada’s Arctic region for a view of the great northern bear: Ursus maritimus, better known as the polar bear, the largest of Canada’s four resident bear species. This coin’s reverse offers a rare close encounter with this revered Arctic emblem, unguarded and seemingly unaware of the viewer’s presence, as it casually steps out of the framed centre portion.

A new wildlife series begins!

Good to know

Coin #1 of 3. NEW in 2025! The three-coin Animal Portraits series zooms in on some of Canada’s most magnificent wildlife species, captured in an unguarded moment and in a natural setting.

The art of animal portraiture. Your coin’s reverse features a compelling wildlife portrait rendered in a classic style, complete with engraved details that create a more realistic rendering.

Selective gold plating. Each coin is selectively plated with yellow gold: all but the animal is plated on the reverse, while the rim and effigy are plated on the obverse.

Beyond boundaries. The polar bear on your coin’s reverse can’t be contained within the frame, it’s stepping out of the centre portion. This helps blur the boundary between humans and the natural world, and brings you closer to this mighty Arctic species.

Limited mintage. Crafted in 1 oz. of 99.99% pure silver, your coin has a limited mintage of 7,500. A fun addition to any nature- or Canadiana-themed collection!

Collect the series. While all three Animal Portraits coin are available for individual purchase, a subscription guarantees a complete set and unlocks a special exclusive: a free clamshell case that ships with your first coin and holds all three coins together.

Coin 1: Polar Bear
Coin 2: Elk
Coin 3: Grey Wolf

Includes serialized certificate. The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.

No GST/HST

Did you know?

Canada is home to more than two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population, or approximately 16,000 of the 20,000-25,000 bears that live in polar regions.

Behind closed doors

"Foreshortened views like this one are always tricky, given the nature of sculpting in bas relief. Moreover, the trompe l’oeil effect of this art hinges on the bear stepping out of the frame towards the outer edge of the coin, and it was difficult to give the bear’s forepaw the necessary heft given that there’s even less relief to work with there. I enjoyed capturing the balance of the bear’s powerful anatomy while depicting it on a tranquil walk."

– Eric Boyer, Senior Engraver

About the design

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

The reverse design by artist Trevor Tennant features an engraved portrait of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus), surrounded by yellow gold plating. Moving across the snow-covered ice that lies at the sea’s edge, the polar bear looks off to the side as it steps out of the central portion of the design, placing its forepaws onto the outer portion where “CANADA” and “2025” are engraved. The obverse features the gold-plated effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.

Product # 246116

$20 Fine Silver Coin - Animal Portraits: Polar Bear (2025)