2014 Silver Canadian $20 Water Lily with Venetian Glass Leopard Frog

Handmade Venetian Glass Leopard Frog

The fourth in a series of prized coins that feature a Venetian glass embellishment; all other issues have sold out quickly.

Found in Canadian province and Territory except Yukon and Nunavut, the leopard frog is aptly named for the irregularly shaped black spots that dot its brown, greenish-brown, or green skin. It lives in a variety of habitats including wetlands in prairies and woodlands in summer for feeding. In the fall it usually moves to ponds, streams, and rivers which do not freeze to the bottom. In the spring it emerges to seek out ponds and marshes for breeding. It is there that the tadpoles will develop.

The leopard frog consumes nearly any animal that fits in its mouth, be it insects, worms, smaller frogs and even birds or garter snakes. The hunter becomes the hunted if it encounters predators such as fish, water snakes, turtles, herons, raccoons or even larger frogs.

These freshwater perennials are remarkable plants. At the surface, their buoyant evergreen leaves form a canopy that become resting places for dragonflies, beetles and even small turtles. Nine species are native to Canada, including the widespread yellow pond lily. Often dotted with a large, fragrant blossom that opens in the morning sun and closes in the afternoon, these plants are anchored to the muddy lakebed by a long stalk. A glimpse underneath these lily pads reveals a wealth of wildlife competing for cover, making these plants essential to their aquatic ecosystems.

Special features
• The Venetian glass leopard frog was handcrafted by master glassmaker Giuliano Donaggio in Murano, Italy.
• Murano glass is world-renowned for its bright colors, which beautifully showcases the leopard frog upon a full colour, engraved lily pad.
• This coin is the fourth in a series that pair engraved and painted flowers with a beautifully detailed rendering of a creature that is native to Canada’s natural landscape.
• The coin depicts a leopard frog peacefully basking in the sun’s rays atop a bright green water-lily pad, next to the plant’s yellow bloom.

This coin was designed by Canadian artist Maurice Gervais and features an engraved and painted Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar variegatum) that occupies the left side of the image field. The blossom is in fool bloom, its outer cup shaped petals opened to reveal the circular pattern of stamens cradled inside. A stunning, translucent green Leopard Frog made of Venetian glass and hand-crafted by Giuliano Donaggio – a master glassmaker in Murano, Italy – sits upon the engraved and colored green lily pad leaf in the right portion of the image field.

Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-maroon box with black beauty box.

Call 1-888-726-5558 to place your order by phone and receive discounts when you pay by check or bank wire.