2016 Brakeman Cupronickel Commemorative Quarter

Part of the Haunted Canada Quarter Series.

On Newfoundland and Labrador's Bell Island, a restless female spirit is said to haunt the marshes near Dobbin's Garden. She appears in two forms: one, as a beautiful woman dressed in white; the other, as a frightening old woman. Men who have dared to walk through the area have gone missing for days, only to emerge unaware of any passage of time. But what they do remember is the sudden apparition of a grotesque old woman moving toward them, pushing them to the ground, while the smell of death hangs in the air.

Design: This coin uses lenticular technology to masterful effect, recreating an eerie encounter on a dark night. The glow of a hand-held lantern provides the only light for one anxious young man, who is making his way through the marshes near Dobbin's Gardens. The first image finds the young man nervously looking over his shoulder, as behind him, an ethereal female figure dressed in white appears to hover over him. Tilting the coin to the other side reveals a frightening transformation: the ghost's youthful appearance has suddenly aged while the facial features and hands are twisted in a terrifying manner! The young man's expression is one of sheer terror as both he and the ghost look out from the coin and directly at the viewer. Framing the reverse is an outer rim in which the word "CANADA" the face value "25 CENTS" and the year "2016" are engraved.