This brilliant 25-cent pure gold coin honours the mysterious grizzly bear, an animal with a uniquely varied set of behaviours.

The grizzly bear is one of the strongest mammals to inhabit Canada's western provinces. As a symbol of Canada's wilderness, it is an imposing animal that has been both feared and revered throughout history.

Gold coin is the fourth in our best-selling series of 11-millimetre gold coins.

Obverse: Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in profile facing right. This portrait, the fourth effigy of the queen to appear on Canadian coinage, was executed by the artist Susanna Blunt. The legend ELIZABETH II D. G. REGINA ("Elizabeth II, Queen by the Grace of God") also appears.

Reverse: A realistic, intricately detailed, frosted cameo bust portrait by wildlife artist Emily Damstra (rendered in exceptional detail despite the coin’s small size) depicts a splendid side profile of a majestic adult grizzly bear. The denomination and date of issue also appear.