1 Oz Silver Coin 2014 Canada $20 Stained Glass: Craigdarroch Castle Enamel

From coast to coast, many of Canada's public buildings are adorned with these artistic creations.  This coin offers one of the breathtaking stained glass windows that can be found at Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C.

·        Craigdarroch Castle has one of the most extensive residential collections of Victorian stained glass windows in North America!

·        The stately home, which continues to undergo restoration, still has 32 of its original 47 stained glass windows in place.

·        Most of these stained glass windows are floral themed, and were assembled using a mix of rippled, flat, clear, and multicolored glass.

Commissioned in 1887 by coal tycoon Robert Dunsmuir, Craigdarroch Castle was designed to be a grand home for one of Western Canada's wealthiest families.  No expense was spared, from the elaborate Victorian furnishings to the woodwork and the numerous stained glass windows.

Today, visitors to the now-historic site can view 32 of the original 47 stained glass windows - one of which has been reproduced on this beautiful enameled silver coin.  Translucent enamel has been painstakingly applied by hand to the flowers and leaves; the brilliant colors and attention to detail will leave collectors feeling like they are holding their very own stained glass masterpiece in their hands!

With their ability to transform a single sunbeam into an array of dazzling colors, stained glass windows have captivated architects and artists alike.  The Royal Canadian Mint proudly celebrates the timeless artistry of stained glass windows - one of Canada's most widespread forms of public art - with the introduction of its dazzling "Stained Glass" series of coins.

Special features:

·        This coin is the first in a new 5-coin series featuring eye-catching reproductions of Canada's stained glass masterpieces!

·        Each pocket of this coin has been hand-filled to recreate the look of the original stained glass window.

·        This coin is 99.99% pure silver, and has a limited worldwide mintage.

·        This will make an exceptional gift coin!

Design:

The coin features a stunning color partial  of the stained glass windows that adorn Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C.  The focal point of the design is the grouping of six brightly colored flowers; each petal has been painstakingly filled by hand with blue, purple and red translucent enamel to recreate a stained glass effect.  Green translucent enamel has been applied to the veined leaves, which provide foliar interest.  The original window's diverging brick pattern has been adapted to a smaller scale, to fill the reverse image background.