Owner Comments:
Superb colorized Canada prickly pear cactus specimen quarter (first issue of the Beauty Magnified series) with no toning, prooflike luster on devices, and very strong strike. Reverse is completely colorized except for rim. Obverse surfaces are equivalent to a reverse proof with mirrored devices and frosty fields and mottoes. Vertical striation is present in obverse fields producing a matte-like finish. Coin appears to be essentially flawless. Cost: $21.06 on 8/7/14 on eBay from E_Coins (e_coins).
Mintage: 17,500. Weight: 12.61 grams. Diameter: 35 mm. Composition: Nickel-plated steel.
Edge: plain. Finish: Specimen with color.
Complete Certificate Text:
Canada in Bloom
Flowers appeared on Earth about 130 million years ago—and their arrival was dramatic, transforming a monochromatic world of green ferns and cone-bearing trees into a rainbow of colour. Much more than good looks, flowers are critical to life on Earth. They grow on almost 90% of Earth’s 260,000 known vascular plant species. In Canada alone, some 4,000 different species of flowers burst into bloom every year from east to west—even on the northernmost tundra during the brief Arctic summer.
A cactus close-up
When people think of Canada, rarely will a cactus come to mind; but cacti do indeed grow in the land of snow and ice. Of Canada’s few winter-hardy cacti, the eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa) is of particular interest because it can only be found in one location—Point Pelee in Ontario, the nation’s southernmost point with the sandy habitat, sunshine and warmth necessary for its growth.
The eastern prickly pear is a low-spreading cactus with large, round pads that are covered with long, sharp spines and tiny, hard-to-see barbs. Its name is inspired by its green, pear-shaped fruit that turn red as they ripen in autumn. From June to August, the eastern prickly pear is also covered with large, yellow and orangey-red flowers that are so attractive people take the cactus home to plant in their own gardens. This practice, plus habitat loss are the greatest threats to this endangered plant.
Cacti are often viewed as troublesome weeds, but they are important to the overall health of ecosystems. They prevent soil erosion during droughts or heavy grazing, and conserve moisture from rain and snow. Cacti provide food for a variety of wildlife, including birds, rabbits, gophers, squirrels and deer. First Nations people were also known to eat the eastern prickly pear’s fruit and to use its spines for fishing, and its juice to preserve the designs they painted on wood and buckskins.