Canada: Polar Bear 1/10 oz Gold 2019
Canada: Polar Bear 1/10 oz Gold 2019 is a fractional bullion coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, containing 1/10 troy ounce of gold of fineness Au 9999 (24 karat). The coin’s total weight is about 3.136 g, its diameter is 16 mm, and its thickness is about 1.22 mm. The piece has a face value of 5 Canadian dollars and is legal tender in Canada. The 2019 issue features a new polar bear design with sharply defined details depicting the Arctic environment.
The polar bear, as a symbol of the rugged beauty of northern Canada and its natural wealth, has become an iconic motif in Canadian numismatics. Canada is home to about 15,000 polar bears, roughly two thirds of the species’ global population (Ursus maritimus), inhabiting the country’s northern regions such as Hudson Bay, the Beaufort Sea, and other Arctic territories. This animal is perfectly adapted to extreme Arctic conditions, showing the ability to slow its metabolism during times of food scarcity and to survive for up to a week without food thanks to a built-in energy-saving mechanism.
The 2019 issue is part of an ongoing collector-investment series promoted by the Royal Canadian Mint, appealing both to collectors and to investors seeking affordable denominations in the highest-purity gold.
Obverse The obverse of the coin features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, which is the fourth official effigy of the monarch on Canadian coins and the only one on which she does not wear a crown. Around the likeness appears the Latin legend “ELIZABETH II · D.G. REGINA” and the denomination “5 DOLLARS.” The obverse background is adorned with a fine, radially arranged pattern serving as an anti-counterfeiting feature and forming an integral part of the coin’s security design.
Reverse The reverse of the coin depicts a polar bear standing in an Arctic landscape against an ice-sheet backdrop, in a pose characteristic of the animal as it walks across ice dunes. The 2019 design includes a finely detailed depiction of the bear with carefully rendered fur texture, muscular anatomy, and natural surroundings. Along the rim are the inscriptions “CANADA,” “2019,” “9999,” “FINE GOLD,” and “1/10 OZ OR PUR.” The coin’s edge is reeded, in accordance with the security specifications of Canadian gold issues.