Polar bears are at home in the frozen extremes of the Canadian Arctic. 

A new 5-ounce silver coin from the Royal Canadian Mint highlights the distinct natural features that surround the bears.

Inside Coin World: Celebrating Christmas numismatically: The December issue of Coin World features several features with a Christmas theme and a look at paper money depicting people you might not recognize.

Designed by Tony Bianco, the coin travels to the True North for a glimpse of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) at play. The engraved scene is a touching portrait of a mother and cub emerging from a swim in the cold waters of the Canadian Arctic, their closeness reflected in their relative positioning.

Texturally engraved ice fragments surround the bears on the reverse, but they also come together to form a frame on the obverse.

The engraved rim technology adds a sense of motion throughout both sides of the coin. The ice fragments extend to the very edge in order to give the coin its uniquely “glacial” shape.

This celebration of the Canadian Arctic uses innovative engineering design and what the RCM calls “Virtual Minting” to shape the coin’s edge and surface in a way that perfectly complements the “glacial” theme.

The coin weighs 157.6 grams and measures 68.81 millimeters in diameter.

It has a mintage limit of 1,200 pieces and retails for $579.95 Canadian. 

The coin is encapsulated and presented in an RCM-branded maroon clamshell with black interior. 

To order the Polar Bear coin, visit the RCM website. 

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