2021-07-07 Wed

The Royal Canadian Mint has released new gold coins which are dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Formed on the 1st April 1999, the former Northwest Territories (NWT) was divided into a new territory called Nunavut and with this addition, the map of Canada changed.

Developed from the northernmost area of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut borders the floating ice caps of the North Pole, Greenland to the east, the new boundary of Northwest Territories to the southeast, and the Province of Manitoba directly south. With a population of just 40,000 inhabitants, the territory has the smallest population in Canada.

Designed by Inuk artist Germaine Arnaktauyok, the obverse of the coin features an Inuk drum dancer bearing an outline map of the territory. Within the map, a traditional stone oil lamp (qulliq) is a source of warmth and security and a beacon of hope for the future. Beneath the dancer is the name of the country. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Image Courtesy: news.coinupdate.com