Canada: 2017 $10 Birds Among Nature's Colours: Purple Martin Silver Coin

Canada: 2017 $10 Birds Among Nature's Colours: Purple Martin Silver Coin

Finish: Proof

Mintage: 15000

Design: The coin showcases a richly detailed, engraved portrait of a purple martin (Progne subis). Canada’s largest swallow is viewed from below, its claws firmly gripping a stalk of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Its forked tail and long, slender profile give the martin an elegant air as it turns its head towards the left side of the coin, as though studying its surroundings for signs of insect prey. Selective colour conveys the soft glow of a warm summer morning, when the sun’s early rays shine down upon the pastel-coloured tubular flowers that cast a gentle shadow behind them.

Packaging: The coins are encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian maroon clamshell case. It is protected by a black beauty box.