SOCKEYE SALMON Canadian Salmonids 1 Oz Silver Coin 20$ Canada 2016

This $20 coin is 99.99% pure silver, with a diameter of 40 millimetres and a nominal metal weight of 31.39 grams. The reverse design by Canadian artist Curtis Atwater features an engraved depiction of a sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) during its journey upstream to spawning grounds. The detailed background offers a glimpse of the unspoiled beauty of Canada's Pacific Coast region, where trees line a lakeshore. Dorsal fins appear on the water's surface, as does the humped back of the male sockeye in the foreground. Selective colour recreates the scarlet and green colouring it is known for, while the underwater view allows for a glimpse at its unique profile with hooked jaw as it swims just above the gravel that lines this shallow area.