On January 22, 1992, the NASA space shuttle Discovery launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral with a crew of seven-including neurologist Dr. Who holds the distinction of being Canada’s first female astronaut. The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dr. Bondar’s historic mission with this fine silver coin, whose convex shape provides the perfect canvas for recreating a view that is out of this world! A NEW TAKE ON A CONVEX COIN! Share the wonder of viewing Earth from space: your coin’s unique shape lends itself perfectly to recreating the curvature of our planet! Photo luminescent elements add a new twist on the view of our planet-especially Canada, which features prominently! A HEARTFELT TRIBUTE TO A CANADIAN HERO! The Royal Canadian Mint proudly pays homage to one of the most important Canadians of our time, Dr. Roberta Bondar, and her historic space mission 25 years ago! A PERSONAL TOUCH: As an added salute to Dr. Bondar, we’ve included the Discovery space shuttle’s likeness in orbit, as seen on her personally designed mission crest! AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION! With a low mintage, unique blend of technologies and world-class engraving, this limited coin is sure to be a prized piece in your collection-this is not a coin to pass up! DESIGN The reverse design by Canadian artist Alexandra Lefort combines colour with glow-in-the-dark effects to recreate a breathtaking view of Earth from space. The partial view of the Western Hemisphere places the focus on North America-specifically Canada-while the application of colour captures the nuances that characterize the different regions, and the different blues that mark the ocean depth. Within the outer band that frames the field, the 25th anniversary of Dr. Roberta Bondar’s historic space mission is commemorated by the number “25″ and a miniature depiction of the space shuttle Discovery, as it appeared on Dr. Bondar’s personal mission crest.
