This one ounce fine silver coin with elegant, selective gold-plating honours the long-standing tradition of First Nations story-telling; it is part of a series of coins celebrating Nanaboozhoo, a legendary figure in Ojibwa folklore. Nanaboozhoo is a shape-shifting spirit (often taking on the form of a rabbit) that is prominently featured in Aboriginal story-telling, including the story of the world’s creation. Folkloric tales tell us that Nanaboozhoo was first sent to earth to teach the Ojibwa; his first task was to name all of the plants and animals. This highly-detailed, beautifully rendered image by Ojibwa artist Cyril Assiniboine uses two-tone gold to depict brave Nanaboozhoo in a crouched position, holding a shield and arrow adorned with feathers; behind him the fearsome Thunderbird, a mythical beast in First Nations folklore, stretches it’s epic wings and opens its beak in an aggressive stance. According to one legend, Nanaboozhoo turns himself into a rabbit and is swiftly carried up to the nest of the Thunderbirds in order to retrieve their feathers, which would make his hunting arrow very powerful. When the older Thunderbirds learn of this deceit (Nanaboozhoo has been defined as a “trickster” figure in First Nations folklore) they chase him across the land, but he takes cover within the hollow trunk of a birch tree. When the Thunderbirds eventually give up on their pursuit, Nanaboozhoo escapes and declares the birch tree a protector and benefactor of the human race. Today, you can still see the short black marks on birch tree bark made by the angry claws of the Thunderbirds; this is also why lightning never strikes a birch tree. This coin, struck with proof-finish in 99.99% pure silver, is part of a collection of five coins that chronicle the legend of Nanaboozhoo. This coin would make a fantastic addition to any collection of precious coins, or as a gift to any First Nations folklore enthusiast. Diameter: 38mm Weight: 31.39g Material: Silver Fineness: 0.9999 Bullion Weight: 1.01 Troy Ounces. This item is in the category “Coins & Paper Money\Coins: Canada\Commemorative”. The seller is “rolepa-0″ and is located in this country: CA. This item can be shipped to Canada.
- Country/Region of Manufacture: Canada
- Certification: Uncertified
- Circulated/Uncirculated: Uncirculated