Commems Collection Canadian: 2019 Valiant One Bald Eagle Silver $20 Coin

I included the Valiant One: Bald Eagle coin in my Personal Top 5 for 2019 post (you can read it here) and thought I would follow up on that post with one that dives a bit deeper into the coin and includes an image of it.

First, the specs: the coin has a denomination of $20, weighs 31.39 grams of 0.999 fine silver (just over a troy ounce) and has a diameter of 38 millimeters. The weight and diameter are fairly standard among the RCM's recent $20 silver coins. The published maximum mintage for the coin is 5,500. It went on sale on January 8, 2019 and was switched to "Awaiting Stock" status in early November and then taken off sale and "Archived" by the middle of the month. The issue price was $89.95 CAD.



The coin was designed by W. Allan Hancock and, per the RCM web site, it is "based on his own personal photographs of bald eagles." Hancock has established himself as a "go to" wildlife artist for the RCM, with seven of his designs being used for 2019-dated coins. In addition to the Valiant One: Bald Eagle coin, Hancock is also the designer behind the three-coin Golden Reflections - Predator & Prey series and the three-coin Canadian Fauna collection.

Though the RCM references "personal photographs" for his inspiration, I would suggest that Hancock developed the design for the coin more directly from a painting he created; it is called "Morning Solitude - Bald Eagle." In reference to the painting, he has stated "As much as I do enjoy a sunny day at the beach, I love walking along the beach through the fog. There is a stillness in the air and it is usually very quiet and peaceful. It is a great time for reflection, much like the Eagle in this painting as it ponders its next move." Of course, the source material for the painting is likely to have been photographs taken by the artist.



Note: The image of Hancock's original painting and the above quote about it can be found at the Peninsula Gallery, an art gallery that represents him/his work. See it here: Morning Solitude - Bald Eagle

I think the RCM did an outstanding technical job with the coin and expertly captured the detail of Hancock's art. Its decision to have the coin's fields use a matte finish and its relief elements to be brilliant (i.e., reverse proof) was a terrific idea. The bald eagle "pops" on the coin and truly makes its realism stand out. It is an example of the artistic heights that can be reached without relying on unnecessary embellishments. I believe it to be a terrific addition to my collection of bald eagle coins struck by the RCM.

To learn more about the artist, visit his web site at https://wallanhancock.com/ If 2019 is any indication, we will be seeing more of Hancock's designs on future RCM releases.