Nanaboozhoo Silver Coins
Nanaboozhoo is a legendary cultural hero of the Anishinaabe Native American tribes. Stories about Nanaboozhoo vary widely from community to community, as does the spelling of his name. This is mainly due to the various languages that the stories are told in, not to mention the large geographical area in both Canada and the United States that the legend covers.
The legendary figure of Nanaboozhoo is now beautifully portrayed on a series of three silver coins from the Royal Canadian Mint. The 2014 coins were designed by self-taught Canadian Ojibwa artist Cyril Assiniboine, who is also a pow wow dancer and enjoys illustrating the cultural traditions of his people. Storytelling is an important part of those traditions, as it is with many Aboriginal cultures.
Further details on the Royal Canadian Mint’s website provide that "Storytelling has long been a rich oral tradition for Aboriginal cultures. It is said that from the first snowfall to the first clap of thunder, elders impart history, traditions and life lessons to the younger generation through rich narratives filled with allegories and imagery. For the Aboriginal Peoples, these tales – and the messages they convey – form deep connections to who they are, how they relate to the world, their ceremonial rituals and even everyday life.
Often, these stories revolve around characters that possess physical and personality traits akin to humans, animals, plants and even the elements. For the Anishinaabe, an important cultural character is Nanaboozhoo; as a shapeshifting spirit, he teaches right from wrong through his adventures while offering lessons on how to live in harmony with the natural world."
Each silver coin in the series tells part of the story:
Nanaboozhoo and the Thunderbirds Nest – This 1oz proof 99.99% silver coin depicts Nanaboozhoo climbing the highest cliff to get to the Thunderbirds’ nest, where he has plucked feathers from the young birds (seen in the upper right side of the image). But the fully grown Thunderbirds have since returned to the nest and are angered by Nanaboozhoo’s actions. With lightning flashing from a Thunderbird’s eye and thunder rolling from its beak, Nanaboozhoo quickly flees from the Thunderbird’s wrath while clutching the feather-adorned arrow in his right hand.
Nanaboozhoo and the Thunderbird – The design field on this 1oz proof 99.99% silver coin is enhanced with gold plating, adding to the beauty of the coin. After climbing the highest cliff to reach the Thunderbirds’ nest, Nanaboozhoo has incurred the horrible wrath of these majestic birds by plucking feathers from their young to strengthen his arrow. The imposing figure of one Thunderbird looms large in the background as it closes in on Nanaboozhoo, with lightning crackling from its eyes and thunder rolling from its beak. A full-face view of Nanaboozhoo allows for his traditional Western Ojibwa dress to be seen in greater detail.
Legend of Nanaboozhoo – The third 1oz proof 99.99% silver coin features a colorized design, allowing the story to come to life in gorgeous detail. In the foreground, a side profile of Nanaboozhoo (facing left) shows the cultural hero in flight. He is wearing a traditional Western Ojibwa dress and in his right hand, a wooden arrow is already adorned with the feathers he has snatched from the Thunderbirds. In the background, an adult Thunderbird soars on outstretched wings as he angrily pursues Nanaboozhoo.
The reverse of all three designs features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. Each coin has a worldwide mintage limit of 8,500 and comes encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with custom beauty box featuring the original paintings of the three parts of the story. A certificate of authenticity comes with each coin and attests that the 2014 $20 fine silver coins are proof quality and are authorized by the Government of Canada. Relive Nanaboozhoo’s story time and again by adding three parts of his story to your coin collection today!
