VIKING VOYAGE Norse Figureheads 1 Oz Silver Coin 20$ Canada 2018

The reverse of the coin is designed by Neil Hamlin and presents an artistic representation of a Viking ship at sea. An overhead view helps convey the dauntless spirit of the Norse mariners and captures the majesty of a dragon ship (dreki or drakkar) as the wind fills the striped sail. This unique perspective places extra emphasis on the elaborately carved figurehead at the prow, which gave the ship its name and was intended to ward off evil spirits. Selective colour draws the eye to the frame, which bears a Norse art-inspired motif of intertwined serpents in the Jellinge art style circa AD 1000, or in the time of Leif Eriksson's voyage from Greenland to Vinland (Newfoundland). Also included within the frame are four runic letters that represent the cardinal points (north, east, south and west), a tribute to the seafaring nature and exploratory spirit of the Vikings.On the left of the reverse, the inscription: "2018" – the year of issue. The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the inscriptions: "ELIZABETH II" – the name of the Queen, "CANADA" – the issuing country, "D·G·REGINA" – the latin acronym that stands for "Dei Gratia Regina" and "20 DOLLARS" – the face value.