Royal Canadian Mint coin has color, fine art glass, glow paint

By Jeff Starck

Published: Jul 27, 2015, 6 AM

Canada has begun a three-coin Star Gazing series by showcasing the Universe. The coin employs color, glow paint and a piece of borosilicate fine-art colored glass to provide the celestial design.

Images courtesy of the Royal Canadian Mint.

One of the Royal Canadian Mint’s newest collector coins is the first to combine color, glow paint and borosilicate fine-art colored glass.

Each of the Proof 2015 The Universe .9999 fine silver $20 coins, released July 7, features a unique glass piece crafted with a swirl of silver dust to create an image of the universe that is one-of-a-kind. Variation in the swirl of the silver dust makes each coin different.

Canadian artist Loïc Beaumont-Tremblay recreated the forested setting of the Mont-Mégantic Observatory beneath a clear, star-filled sky.

A globule of borosilicate glass shines with an image of the universe. The round, crystal-clear qualities of the glass are similar to peering through a telescope lens, and its luminescence further enhances the viewer’s experience of gazing into the galaxy — an effect that also shines from some of the stars (enhanced by glow paint).

The Susanna Blunt effigy of Queen Elizabeth II appears on the obverse of the 2016 coin.

The Universe coin is the first in a three-coin Star Gazing series. The other two themes have not yet been announced.

The Universe coin weighs 31.39 grams and measures 38 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 8,500 pieces and retails for $149.95 Canadian or $115.46 U.S.

To order the coin, or for more details, visit the RCM website.

Like Canadian coins? Check out these Coin World stories!

Canada completes melting of gold coin hoard

Muskoxen charge collectors on silver $100-for-$100 coin

Royal Canadian Mint may create ‘stampede’ with new silver bullion coin

Canada plans circulating 25-cent, $2 coins honoring ‘In Flanders Fields’ author

Will the American Liberty High, Relief gold coin be a success?

More from CoinWorld.com:

Images of gold coin hoard discovered in Germany released by museum

Collecting gold dollars: Q. David Bowers

United States Mint releases approved designs for 2016 America the Beautiful quarter dollars

Metal detectorist discovers Nazi-era gold coin hoard