Designed by artist Steve Hepburn, the new Canadian coin has an engraved illustration of the Sun and Moon enveloped by the 12 signs of the zodiac. Each of the signs on the outer circle is paired with their corresponding glyph in the second band, which collectors will notice is set against a colourful night sky.
Per the Royal Canadian Mint, these are numbered based on their zodiacal order (beginning at the top and moving in a counterclockwise direction): Aries (“1”), Taurus (“2”), Gemini (“3”), Cancer (“4”), Leo (“5”), Virgo (“6”), Libra (“7”), Scorpio (“8”), Sagittarius (“9”), Capricorn (“10”), Aquarius (“11”) and Pisces (“12”).
Signs of the Zodiac — $30 coinThe Royal Canadian Mint
"With their deep symbolic meaning and unique characters, the zodiac signs are a wonderful subject for any artist to work with. This was a fun project to be a part of, and I’ll never look at the daily horoscope section the same way again!" Hepburn told the Mint.
The obverse features the effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The obverse also bears a special marking that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign.
Signs of the Zodiac — $30 coinThe Royal Canadian Mint
The coin, made up of 99.99% pure silver, has a mintage of 4,000. The Canadian coin has a diameter of 50 millimetres and weighs 62.69 grams.
While its face value may be $30, getting your hands on this collector's item will cost you slightly more than that. The new zodiac coin is available for purchase on the Royal Canadian Mint website for $229.95.
When purchased, your coin arrives encapsulated and presented in a black Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell black beauty box, and a special insert with the dates and symbols for each zodiac sign.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
Pure Gold Coin — Spirit DragonThe Royal Canadian Mint
Pure Gold Coin — Spirit DragonThe Royal Canadian Mint
The coin's reverse side in regular light (left) and under a blacklight (right).
The coin's reverse side (left) and obverse side (right).
