2017 Canadian $10 Birds Among Nature's Colours: Nuthatch - 1/2 oz Fine Silver Coin (toned)

2017 Canadian $10 Birds Among Nature's Colours: Nuthatch - 1/2 oz Fine Silver Coin

Face Value: $10
Mintage: 15,000
Composition: 99.99% Silver
Weight (g): 15.87
Diameter (mm): 34
Finish: Proof

Small yet vocal, the active white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) always seems to be on the go! Its nasal yank-yank call announces its presence year-round at backyard feeders, or in the wooded areas across much of southern Canada. Remarkably, this small songbird enjoys a unique view of its surroundings, for it will think nothing of creeping down a tree headfirst or hanging upside down from a vertical branch.

The white-breast nuthatch is the largest of its kind, and was named for its habit of pecking at its meal: first, it wedges a hard-shelled nut or some other type of seed in a crevice in the tree bark; then, it uses its long bill to hammer away until the nut is broken into smaller pieces that are just right for this little songbird!

The nuthatch on your coin is particularly eye-catching as it perches on the prickly branch of a white spruce (Picea glauca) tree. A popular choice for Christmas trees in Canada, this coniferous evergreen is a fixture in the boreal forest that stretches from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, and north to the arctic tree line. It offers shelter to many woodland species, while spruce cones yield seeds that are happily extracted by many bird species—including the nuthatch.

An ideal gift for a bird lover and a fun addition to your existing coin display! Order today!

Special features:
FINAL COIN IN SERIES! This is the fifth and final coin in the five-coin series that showcases a beautifully engraved bird in its colourful Canadian habitat.
DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS BIRD-THEMED COINS! Gorgeous colour highlights the foreground and background, while the image of the bird allows the pure silver colour to shine through, creating a unique viewing experience as the bird almost appears to be silhouetted against the bright imagery around it.
INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE: The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins. Most of these are serialized certifications, meaning that each certificate is given a unique number, starting at 1.
99.99% PURE SILVER! Your coin is GST/HST exempt with a limited worldwide mintage.

Design:
Designed by Canadian artist Derek C. Wicks, your coin features a precision-engraved portrait of a female white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). This little songbird is positioned in a way that offers a side profile view of its facial features as it lifts its long bill upwards; meanwhile, an overhead view of its back and wing plumage reveals a patterned appearance that is artfully conveyed by the detailed engraving. Selective colour recreates the effect of sunlight alternately illuminating and casting shadows along the needled branch of a white spruce (Picea glauca), where a cone provides a sense of the nuthatch's size.

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