OTTAWA, Oct. 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Always proud to celebrate Canada's history, culture and values through its coins, the Mint is pleased to launch a new ultra-high relief collector coin crafted of five kilograms of 99.99% pure silver. This first in a new series of giant coins honouring great Canadian artists celebrates the legendary Emily Carr, whose iconic totem from her watercolour Tsatsisnukomi, B.C., 1912 has been transformed into a fine silver sculptural masterpiece.
"Canada's artistic legacy has been an endless source of inspiration for many memorable Royal Canadian Mint coins and this tribute to Emily Carr honours not only her artistic genius, but also that of the West Coast aboriginal cultures whose works she lovingly preserved in her paintings," said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Like the original which inspired this coin, our new five-kilogram fine silver coin was meticulously handcrafted by men and women who take great pride in creating unforgettable tributes to the greatness of Canadian culture."
"The Vancouver Art Gallery is thrilled that one of the Carr paintings in the Gallery's permanent collection has been celebrated by the Royal Canadian Mint on such a remarkable coin," said Kathleen S. Bartels, Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Gifted as artist from a very young age, Emily Carr refined her craft through studies in California and Europe. Her visits to Pacific North West aboriginal villages in the early 1900's made a profound impression on her artistic direction, just as the timeless way of life of these communities was changing. Her unique impressionistic style captured the spirit of the natural and man-made landscape and earned her recognition by the Group of Seven and the National Gallery of Canada. Today, Tsatsisnukomi, B.C., 1912 is housed at the Vancouver Art Gallery, which maintains the world's most important collections of original Emily Carr works.
The Mint's solid silver interpretation of Emily Carr's masterpiece was created by engravers Christie Paquet and Stan Witten. The central image of a mystical bird has been engraved at a rarely seen depth, which seems to make this mighty totem symbol rise from the surface of the coin. In the background, an intricate combination of frostings captures the masterful shading of the original painting. The image is surrounded by an outer band evoking the cross-sectional grain of a cedar log, over which Emily Carr's name and life span (1871-1946) appear. Only 100 of these giant creations with a $500 face value are available to passionate collectors of numismatic art and Canadian culture at the retail price of $10,500 CDN.
This exclusive collectible can be ordered directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca. Some coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown Corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. An ISO 9001-2008 certified company, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca
Image with caption: "The Royal Canadian Mint's five-kilogram $500 Fine Silver Coin celebrating Emily Carr's Tsatsisnukomi, B.C., 1912, developed in collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery. (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Mint)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131017_C4692_PHOTO_EN_32162.jpg
Image with caption: "The Royal Canadian Mint's five-kilogram $500 Fine Silver Coin celebrating Emily Carr's Tsatsisnukomi, B.C., 1912, developed in collaboration with the Vancouver Art Gallery. (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Mint)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131017_C4692_PHOTO_EN_32160.jpg
SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mint
Alex Reeves
Senior Manager, Communications
Tel: (613) 949-5777
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