2021-04-01 Thu

Canada Mint issued a set of three coins in the year 2019 featuring Norse Gods. The Norse God trilogy was comprised of Odin Thor and Freya.

Norse mythology has influenced the way we tell stories and give rise to everyday words, including some days of the week — Wednesday for Odin, Thursday for Thor and Friday for Freya. The Norse gods and giants are even part of Canada’s multicultural heritage: they’re the folk heroes of Scandinavian Canadians who made their home all over Canada.

The Norse Gods trilogy ends with Frigg, Odin’s “beloved” and mother of Baldr, and the inspiration for the English word “Friday.” The goddess of family and fertility weaves the clouds and spins our fates. She knows the destiny of every being, but she will never reveal it. Frigg wears a coat of falcon feathers that allows her to take to the sky.

The reverse image by Alexandra Lefort emphasizes Frigg's role as the Norse goddess of the sky. The Queen of Æsir holds a distaff in one hand and a spindle in the other, as she weaves the clouds that float towards the full moon. Selective gold plating highlights Frigg's belt and her feather shawl, which allows her to assume the shape of her falcon companion.

A Norse art-inspired pattern lines the rim on the antiqued obverse and reverse. Also gold-plated are the falcon emblem of Frigg and the mistletoe that is associated with the death of her son Baldr. The obverse features the gold-plated effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Image Courtesy: mint.ca