Product Description

BLANDING’S TURTLE – 2021 SPECIMEN SET – ENDANGERED SPECIES – ROYAL CANADIAN MINT

This year’s specimen set continues the Endangered Species theme introduced in 2020. Home to more than 600 types of plants and animals considered to be at risk, Canada has a responsibility to protect rapidly vanishing species like the Blanding’s turtle, which is featured on the 2021 Specimen Set’s exclusive dollar coin. This long-lived (80 years) species has suffered a dramatic population decline. And given its late maturation (14-25 years), even the smallest increase in adult mortality pushes it closer to extinction. But there is some good news: nest protection and head-starting programs, like the one established by the Toronto Zoo and its partners, are part of ongoing efforts to give this “smiling” turtle a more certain future in Canada.

KEY FEATURES

• SECOND IN A MULTI-YEAR SERIES: Keep your specimen set collection up to date with these 2021 coins! This is the second in our multi-year Endangered Species specimen set series. And just like last year’s (2020) set, the exclusive dollar coin has been dedicated to raising awareness about wildlife conservation and species recovery efforts in Canada.
• A TIMELY TOPIC: Ongoing efforts to protect and reverse the declining Blanding’s turtle population offer hope for the future of the species. Its re-introduction to the Rouge Valley in Ontario highlights the dedication of those involved in species reintroduction and recovery efforts, and reminds us that we all play a part in nature conservation.
• FOR REPTILE LOVERS: This is the first time a reptile has been featured on the annual specimen set’s dollar coin.
• A WORLD EXCLUSIVE: All six coins feature a specimen finish: brilliant and frosted relief over a lined specimen background. We are the only mint in the world to offer an annual set in a specimen finish.
• INCLUDES SERIALIZED CERTIFICATE! The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.

Design:
Designed by Canadian artist Pierre Girard, your exclusive specimen $1 coin features a Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) sunning itself on a log in its wetland habitat. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Did you know?
A newly hatched Blanding’s turtle is about the same size as this specimen dollar coin! A hatchling’s small size and soft shell puts it at high risk of becoming an easy meal for predators like raccoons, skunks, foxes and crows. But by the age of two, the turtle has grown a little larger and the shell has hardened enough to give the young turtle a fighting chance in the wild.

Packaging:
Your specimen set comes in elegant book-style packaging that complements your beautiful coins, while the removable lens allows you to display and view your coins with ease.

SPECIFICATIONS

No: 179525
Mintage: 25,000
Finish: Specimen
Certificate: Serialized