A new small gold collector coin from Canada offers native gold featuring a native inspired design.

The Proof Inuk and Qulliq .9999 fine gold $10 coin is the first 20th-ounce gold collector coin available on its own from the Royal Canadian Mint. Previously coins in that size had only been offered in the bullion program or as part of a fractional set.

The coin features the design of Inuk artist Ulaayu Pilurtuut, which the RCM says is a “contemporary-styled celebration of Inuit culture, identity, and way of life.”

Surrounded by inuksuit (rock formations created by First Nations people) that symbolize community and guidance, the Inuk woman at the center of the image tends to the traditional qulliq, an Inuit oil lamp that provides light and warmth.

“Like the inuksuit landmarks that guide the way, the traditional oil lamp is an important symbol of Inuit culture: it represents hearth and home in the Arctic, where it embodies the strength and care provided by the women who nurture its flames,” according to the RCM.

The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Using native gold

This Arctic celebration is crafted from Nunavut-sourced gold that comes from two different mines: Agnico-Eagle Mines’ Meadowbank Gold Mine located near Baker Lake, Nunavut, and TMAC Resources’ Doris North Mine at Hope Bay.

The coin weighs 1.58 grams and measures 14 millimeters in diameter.

It has a mintage limit of 4,000 pieces and is sold in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded clamshell with a “black beauty” box.

It retails for $249.95 Canadian.

To order, visit the RCM website, www.mint.ca.

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