The first coin to be released in the Royal Canadian Mint’s Prehistoric Animal series, the 2014 $20 Woolly Mammoth Silver coin celebrates one of the most iconic creatures of the ice age.

Composed of 1 troy ounce of .9999 pure silver, each coin weighs 31.39 grams and has a diameter of 38mm.

Designed by artist Michael Skrepnik, the reverse depicts a giant woolly mammoth roaming the flatlands. The animal’s detailed features were authenticated by the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, and portions are frosted to soften the fur and and enhance its massively curved tusks. Mountains can be seen in the background. The coin is inscribed with its face value of 20 DOLLARS, along with 2014 and FINE SILVER 1 OZ ARGENT PURE 9999.

The obverse features Susanna Blunt’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth. It is inscribed with the words ELIZABETH II, CANADA and D.G. REGINA.

Released in a limited mintage of 7,500 coins, the 2014 Silver $20 Woolly Mammoth comes in a maroon clamshell with custom beauty box. Get yours while supplies last!

The Woolly Mammoth

Extinct for roughly 10,000 years, the woolly mammoth once roamed the frigid flatlands of Canada. Related to modern day Asian elephants, the mammal was the size of an African elephant: it weighed more than six tons and grew to be anywhere from nine to 11 feet tall.

Protected by a thick undercoat and a long, shaggy outer layer of fur, the woolly mammoth was well adapted to frigid temperatures. The gigantic creature lived alongside early humans, who hunted them for meat and ivory. The animals died out due to temperature changes, loss of habitat and over-hunting by humans.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology

A world renowned center of palaeontological research, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is home to more than 130,000 fossils. A popular Canadian tourist attraction, the museum is located in Alberta, where it is run by the province’s Ministry of Culture. It is nestled in the Late Cretaceous Horseshoe Canyon Formation and the museum maintains countless ancient specimens.