From 1913 to 1916, two teams of scientists took part in an unprecedented exploration of the Arctic region that was known as the First Canadian Arctic Expedition. Long before this expedition, visual arts and storytelling had been used in Inuit communities to pass down knowledge from one generation to the other, and it’s a tradition that continues today – particularly in the artistic community of Cape Dorset.

Purchase your coin today!

Special features:
  •   Your striking silver proof 3-dollar coin commemorates the centennial of the First Canadian Arctic Expedition by bringing a contemporary perspective to life in the Arctic.
  •   Your coin’s design comes from Inuit artist Tim Pitsiulak, of Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut. Tim Pitsiulak is also the nephew of Kenojuak Ashevak, who was arguably the most famous Inuit artist in the world.
  •   Pitsiulak’s initials appear on your coin in Inuktitut.
  •   Your coin includes five different coin finishes that give added depth and lustre.
  •   Your coin is GST/HST exempt.

Design:
Designed by renowned Inuit artist Tim Pitsiulak, your coin includes a beautifully detailed design that combines animal and human imagery. A traditional whaling boat and three kayaks wrap around the image along the rim to depict a traditional bowhead whale hunt. Two beluga whales swim alongside a bowhead whale – animals that have long been a source of inspiration to the artist. The bowhead is adorned with several elements drawn from the Inuit culture. To honour the Tuniit people who first crossed the Bering Strait from Siberia, Dorset ivory masks adorn the bowhead’s lower jaw and its back. A Thule ivory comb lies across the top of the whale’s head, representing the Inuit expansion across Canada. The pattern on the whale’s side mimics the walls of an igloo, while the amauti design that graces the whale’s tale symbolises the clothing worn by Inuit women.