The Royal Canadian Mint kicks off 2015 in the style to which we’ve become accustomed; namely lots of coins. As is usually the case, we’ve divided up the releases into three posts for easier reading. Yesterday saw the release of the Sir John Alexander Macdonald trio of coins, and this is the first of two posts covering the bulk of the January releases from today.

No surprises that history and nature form an important theme amongst the coins and there are some good ones this month, including the penultimate release in the Big Dipper glow-in-the-dark coins. New additions to two long running series, and the start of a new one featuring UNESCO World Heritage sites round out a decent month.

The next post will feature the usual Maple and flag coins as well as a pair of feet…

2015 STAR CHARTS 03: THE GREAT ASCENT

Roll over to see the glow-in-the-dark effect.

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One of the cooler sets started by the Royal Canadian Mint last year, this four coin series employs glow-in-the-dark technology to highlight the stars in the image as seen during daylight. It’s a nice idea, well executed, with even the boxes similarly equipped and showing the whole Big Dipper constellation when stood in a line. Previous releases were The Quest (Sept 2014) and The Wounded Bear (Nov 2014). The last coin, ‘Eternal Pursuit’, will ship in April. $104.95 CND

DESCRIPTION: The seven stars that make up the Big Dipper are arguably one of the most recognized formations in the night sky. They are visible year-round from northern latitudes, and have inspired countless legends around the globe. Many First Nations legends describe the Big Dipper as a great bear who is hunted ceaselessly by three hunters. The second issue in this four-coin series gives the account how the hunters tracked the bear across the earth, and bravely followed it into the sky.

DESIGN: Western Ojibwa artist Cyril Assiniboine has created a stunning image of hunters as they track the bear to the end of the earth. The design showcases the hunters’ impressive traditional Saulteaux dress, complete with imposing face paint and weaponry.

GREAT CANADIAN EXPLORERS 04: HENRY HUDSON

Another fine series, this time in gold, the Henry Hudson coin follows on from The Vikings (2012), Jacques Cartier (2013), and Samuel de Champlain (2014). There will be one released every year until Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017. $1199.95 CND

DESCRIPTION: Famous for his exploration of Hudson Bay and for his mysterious disappearance following the mutiny of his crew, Henry Hudson ranks among the most esteemed and intriguing European explorers of the land now known as Canada.

The fourth coin in this unique series depicts famed explorer Henry Hudson, who navigated and charted both Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay in 1610.

DESIGN: The reverse design by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw depicts Henry Hudson on his final Arctic voyage. The image centres on a full-length portrait of Hudson, viewed from the right and gazing to the right side of the coin through a spyglass. Hudson wears a heavy coat trimmed in fur, a fur hat, and long leather boots. On the right side of the image is a stylized map of Hudson Bay, and Hudson’s spyglass points directly to the centre of the Bay. Below the map, Hudson’s ship, Discovery, rests at anchor in the Bay. A party of crewmen row toward land in a small rowboat. On the left side of the image is an Elizabethan-era directional wind rose.

EXPLORING CANADA 07: WILD RIVERS EXPLORATION

A very cool series, this is the 7th of 10 coins with the next coin, ‘Building the Canadian Pacific Railway’ coming on 03 Feb, followed by ‘Scientific Exploration’ (03 March) and finally ‘Space Exploration’ (07 April). We’ve covered the previous coins in the RCM monthly release posts from June to November last year.

DESCRIPTION: As long as there have been people on Earth, there have been explorers—pioneering individuals with one eye trained on the horizon, eager to know what lies beyond, and always ready to break a new trail towards the future. But their adventure never ends, because every destination inspires another. Exploration—that irrepressible spirit of discovery—fuels the life and passion of individuals. It drives the evolution of their community, and ultimately shapes the future of their nation.

Celebrate Canada’s wild rivers—the great, untamed waters that challenged European explorers and continue to lure adventure seekers today; beautifully crafted in 99.99% pure silver.

DESIGN: The reverse design by Canadian artist John Mantha salutes the countless adventurers who braved Canada’s wild rivers with a design inspired by Simon Fraser’s historic voyage through Hell’s Gate (British Columbia), considered one of the most treacherous passages to be found.

UNESCO: MOUNT FUJI & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES

First in a new series, but not a subscription one, so we don’t know what the plans for it are. Available in gold and silver, the designs are extremely nice and the concept a good one, mixing as they do a UNESCO World Heritage site in Canada, and one without. The mountains chosen for the first coin fit the design well. $649.95 gold, $89.95 silver

DESCRIPTION: This exciting new coin series by the Royal Canadian Mint pairs some of Canada’s most stunning World Heritage properties with other properties around the world to illustrate how two sites of global importance share similarities while being so different.

Bringing to life the stunning beauty of the Canadian Rockies alongside the world-renowned majesty of Japan’s Mount Fuji, this coin is not only a reminder of the profound importance of protecting these sites but a unique work of art and design.

DESIGN: The reverse design by Canadian artist Trevor Tennant features mirror-image landscapes of the Rocky Mountains and Mount Fuji. The one half of the design presents a well-known scene of Jasper National Park’s Spirit Island, located on stunning Maligne Lake. The jagged, unmistakeable peaks of the Rockies rise into the distant background, following the lake’s rocky, spruce-lined water line.

Opposite this image and mirroring its composition on the other half of the reverse is a landscape portrait of snow-capped Mount Fuji, as it is often depicted in art and photography. In the foreground, graphically reflecting an island of spruce in the Rocky Mountain scene, a Japanese Black Pine rises skyward. The two scenes are bisected by a horizontal band bearing the mirrored bilingual phrases “”ROCKY MOUNTAINS – MONTAGNES ROCHEUSES” and “MOUNT FUJI – MONT FUJI.” The design also incorporates the Japanese text for “Rocky Mountains” and “Mount Fuji.”