Rivière-Beaudette resident wildlife artist Claude Thivierge continues his collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mint. In 2024, he signed the Reflets de la faune coin series, made up of three silver coins featuring local animals: grizzly bears, cougars and moose. Interview with the artist.

"I've been working with the Royal Canadian Mint for over ten years now. I'm often the creator of coins featuring animals, because that's my field of expertise in art. For this project, the Royal Canadian Mint suggested a concept that evokes the refection or reflection of looking into a mirror. I had to choose three large Canadian animals and illustrate them in their natural environment, keeping the theme in mind," he sums up over the phone.  

On its website, the Royal Canadian Mint states that the Reflections of Wildlife series celebrates "Canada's natural beauty through colorful, textured representations of three of its most iconic animals: the grizzly bear, the cougar and the moose. Each piece illustrates a contemplative moment in the wilderness, honoring the inspiring qualities of each species and reflecting their splendor as well as the vastness of Canadian nature. It's holding the great outdoors in the palm of your hand."

Struck in 99.99% pure silver, each coin has a limited mintage of 7,500. "The three coins will go on sale at different times of the year on the Royal Canadian Mint's website. The first was the grizzly bear last week. The next, the cougar, will be available on June 25, and the last, the moose, will be available for purchase from November 5. I've already reserved my box (laughs)! I don't have designer's privileges and I have to pay for them. On the other hand, I can reserve them very early in the process."

For collectors, the reverse of each coin is engraved with a vivid coloring reminiscent of nature, from sunrise to the seasonal hues of foliage, highlighting the pure beauty of Canadian nature.

A textured pattern allows the wearer to observe the animal and its reflection up close - an original visual effect with multiple textures imitates fur and adds a realistic sheen to the water's surface. This printing method also ensures a longer life for the piece.

Were these aspects a challenge for Claude Thivierge? "There's no doubt that a color piece represents more work for the artist than a black-and-white piece. Personally, I'd estimate that it took me between 40 and 50 hours per piece, from sketch to final creation. The three pieces took me roughly a month to complete. The result seems very faithful to my final version, and I can't wait to receive it to see if that's indeed the case."