Canada Has A New Cosmic $50 Coin Made Of Pure Silver & It Glows In The Dark (PHOTOS)

The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a new Canadian coin this year with a face value of $50, made up of pure silver and blacklight paint technology — allowing this cosmic coin to glow in the dark.

The Pingualuit Crater: Crystal Eye of Nunavik coin features two different scenes on its reverse side. The new Canadian coin depicts a colourful outer space view of Pingualuit Crater Lake on the Ungava Peninsula in Nunavik, Quebec, designed by Canadian artist Neil Hamelin.

While the first image is striking, it only gets better. A second image, one that only reveals itself under a blacklight, takes you back in time. The image transforms into a view of the meteorite that created the crater on its collision course with prehistoric Canada.

"It was an incredible amount of fun designing this coin and telling the story of pre and post impact of the Pingauluit Crater. I hope this coin will have a similar impact," Hamelin said.

The coin's reverse side in regular light (left) and under a blacklight (right).Royal Canadian Mint

The obverse of the coin features an effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. It also bears four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins over the years as well as the date range of her reign.

In order to view the meteorite, a blacklight flashlight is technically required. Luckily, the Royal Canadian Mint includes one with every purchase of the 2023 glow-in-the-dark coin. "Each coin comes with a black light flashlight: simply point the light at the coin for a few seconds to activate the embedded paint technology, and watch as the blue lake suddenly appears," says the Mint's website.

The coin's reverse side (left) and obverse side (right).Royal Canadian Mint

Collectors can also bask in further details of the coin, including a view of the moon with the Milky Way behind it, all of which glow when the blacklight technology is activated.

The coin itself is made up of 99.99% pure silver, with blacklight paint technology. It has a weight of 157.6 grams and a diameter of 65.25 millimetres.

While its face value is $50, it'll definitely cost you a bit more than that to get your hands on this special Canadian coin. The coin can be purchased via the Royal Canadian Mint website for $649.95.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.