$300.00 Coin

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Who designed this coin? My first thought was, "what is that moose and Narwhal doing to that center symbol?" Sorry, just struck me as a strange design.
 
It does seem like a strange combination, even though it doesn't look like a moose to me. Looks like a Caribou. Still it would be interesting to know why that symbol.
 
The symbol is the coat of arms of Nunavut, the newest territory of Canada. It's located entirely in the high arctic, so the caribou and narwhal are apt representations.

It's an Inukshuk in the middle - I used to make these all the time out of rocks when I went for walks as a kid! I'd say that most Canadians would recognize that symbol immediately (at least in my area).
 
Always wanted to buy a gold coin but could never afford one, even when they were a lot less than today.

Isn't it different that the Canadian coin is 14k gold? Aren't most of the other gold coins out there higher gold content? I thought so anyway.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
 
I don't know about Canada but in the U.S. a coin has to have a date,country and a dollar amount to be a coin. If it doesn't have all 3 it is a token. The precious metal coins were never intended to be sold for that amount.
 
Kenny Durrant said:
I don't know about Canada but in the U.S. a coin has to have a date,country and a dollar amount to be a coin. If it doesn't have all 3 it is a token. The precious metal coins were never intended to be sold for that amount.
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date: 2012, a value: $300, & last time I looked Canada was a country :biggrin:
 
PaulDoug said:
It does seem like a strange combination, even though it doesn't look like a moose to me. Looks like a Caribou. Still it would be interesting to know why that symbol.
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From Wikipedia

Symbolism of the Coat of Arms

nun_arms.gif
The domain colors of blue and gold symbolizes the riches of the land, sea and sky.
In the base of the shield, the Inuksuk symbolizes the stone monuments which guide the people on the land and mark sacred and other special places. The qulliq, or Inuit stone lamp, represents light and the warm of family and the community.
Above, the concave arc of the five gold circles refers to the life-giving properties of the sun arching above and below the horizon, the unique part of the Nunavut year. The star is the Niqirtsuituq, the North Star and the traditional guide for navigation and more broadly, forever ramains unchanged as the leadship of hte elders inteh community.
In the crest, the iglu (igloo) represents the traditional life of the people and the means of survival. It also symbolizes the assembled members of the Legislative meeting together for the good of Nunavut, with the Royal Crown symbolizes public government for all people of Nunavut and equivalent status of Nunavut with other territories and provinces in Canadian Confederation.
The tuktu (caribou) and qilalugaq tugaalik (narwhal) refer to land and sea animals which are part of the natural heritage of Nunavut and provide sustenance for people.
The compartment at the base is composed of land and sea and features three important species of Arctic wild flowers.
The motto in Inuktitut – Nunavut Sanginivut – means Nunavut, our strength.

The Coat of Arms was designed by Andrew Karpik from Pangnirtung.
 
Learned Something

Well to be honest although it's been around for 15 years I'd never heard of Nunavut - I still thought all of that was part of the Northwest Territories. I somehow missed Canada making that change. As a practical matter, I'm not sure why the change was made, but then I'm not very familiar with the way Canadian territories are governed. I think that in area it is the biggest subdivision in the world. It is the size of Western Europe but the total population is pretty small, less than 35,000 (I don't think that counts the polar bears) but it does have the northernmost occupied year round village in the world. The size of it, I have serious doubts that very many of its residents have ever seen more than a tiny fraction of it.
 
A lot of what happens up here doesn't make news in the US, I'd guess! :) We get all sorts of information from the US, but I don't think that many in the US watch Canadian media. :smile:

I remember drawing new lines on our old maps with a marker in school when Nunavut was created until the school could order new maps! :smile:

Nunavut (which means 'our land') is governed by the Inuit. The Inuit pressed the Liberal government under Cretien for their own land, under treaty rights, and Nunavut was created out of the Northwest Territories.

It's a territory, rather than a province, because of the scant population. I think Iqaluit (the capital) has about 3000 or 4000 people, if I remember correctly...
 
maxwell_smart007 said:
A lot of what happens up here doesn't make news in the US, I'd guess! :) We get all sorts of information from the US, but I don't think that many in the US watch Canadian media. :smile:

I remember drawing new lines on our old maps with a marker in school when Nunavut was created until the school could order new maps! :smile:

Nunavut (which means 'our land') is governed by the Inuit. The Inuit pressed the Liberal government under Cretien for their own land, under treaty rights, and Nunavut was created out of the Northwest Territories.

It's a territory, rather than a province, because of the scant population. I think Iqaluit (the capital) has about 3000 or 4000 people, if I remember correctly...
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I don't think I have a choice --- but maybe I just don't know which of the hundreds of channels I get (many of which are available two or more times) might be Canadian.
 
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