Canada: 2017 $15 Celebration of Spring: Lilac Blossoms

Canada: 2017 $15 Celebration of Spring: Lilac Blossoms

Finish: Proof

Composition: 99.99% Silver

Mintage: 10000

Weight(grams): 23.17

Design: The coin combines life-like colour and detailed engraving to re-create the springtime display of a lilac in full bloom. This depiction showcases the Preston lilac (Syringa x prestoniae), which was created in 1920 at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, Ontario, by Canada's first female hybridist: Isabella Preston (1881-1965). The realistic representation of this late blooming, Canadian variety is in keeping with the style of traditional botanical illustrations, which is particularly fitting given the lilac's rich history. The application of vivid mauve and deep green colours capture the magnificence of the blooms and foliage; but a separate depiction of a branch beneath the shrub highlights the more tubular, open-flowering nature of the Preston 'Isabella' (Villosae Group) blossoms. To the left is a close-up view of the purple blooms that have become synonymous with the uplifting fragrance and colours of spring.

Packaging: The coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint maroon clamshell case, it is protected by a black beauty box.