Pièce 1 once d'argent Œuf pyssanka 2023 | Monnaie royale canadienne

Celebrate spring with a colourful pysanka masterpiece rooted in ancient tradition.

As nature cycles through the seasons, the earth and the sun work together to give us everything we need, and that powerful relationship is celebrated on this 99.99% pure silver pysanka. Its colour-filled reverse features a deeply symbolic art style that is rooted in ancient tradition. With its earth-toned colours, harvest-inspired motifs and flashes of shining silver, the pysanka is not only a reminder of our ties to nature, but a symbol of continuity, of harmony, and the connections that bring life.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• A springtime tradition. The Royal Canadian Mint's annual Easter egg-shaped celebration of Ukrainian culture in Canada has been wildly popular with collectors! Through its deeply symbolic artistry, the pysanka is a beautiful reflection of the communities they come from, and it underscores the importance of cherishing tradition.
• A sought-after addition. A bestseller every year since 2016. Previous pysanka coins all sold out quickly; for 2023, mintage is once again limited to 7,500 worldwide.
• Includes serialized certificate. The Royal Canadian Mint certifies all of its collector coins.

INSPIRED BY PREHISTORIC POTTERY

The 2023 fine silver pysanka features a Trypillian art style, which is derived from prehistoric pottery designs and produced in earthy colours.

COLOUR MEETS SILVER

Crafted in 1 oz. of 99.99% fine silver, the pysanka features warm, earth-toned colours and harvest-themed motifs. The complex design also makes use of the natural shine of silver, weaking sparkling precious metal with bright colour.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Trypillian pysanky are a modern expression of prehistoric designs: the symbols and colours are all grounded in traditions stemming from the ancient Trypillian civilization that existed in Ukraine between 5500 and 2750 BCE.

• Surviving pottery from this neolithic period—specifically, Trypillian urns that were once used to store the land’s bounty—served as inspiration for this pysanka design, and this is why Trypillian pysanky mostly feature black, reddish clay, brown and ochre colours.

DESIGN AND ARTIST

Designed by Canadian artist Dave Melnychuk, the pysanka coin features a festive motif of sunflowers and other solar symbols that celebrate the sun’s return. Each sunflower’s petals are arranged in a pattern similar to the traditional eight-pointed star that symbolizes wholeness and luminosity. They are encircled by vines associated with wisdom and the vine of life, and whose spiralling form mirrors the cyclical and eternal aspects of life and time. These combined motifs form one of the most common symbols for the sun, a circle with a dot in the centre, which is also an alchemical symbol for gold. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The obverse also bears a special marking that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign.

"My goal was to create a design that could stand on its own, as well as complement the gold pysanka coins from previous years. This year's design is much more floral, containing no straight lines – it's all curves and arabesques – though there is still a rigorous geometric (and symmetric) foundation. The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and a favourite of gardeners; on this coin, it is a joyful affirmation of Ukrainian tradition and the cycle of life." - DAVE MELNYCHUK, Artist

"The depiction of the sunflower on the gold coin issued for 2023 is one of pure joy and reverence for the role of the sun, and the gift of the sunflower, to the world. Honoured in many cultures around the world, the sunflower has an honoured and significant role in Ukrainian folklore, tradition, and the arts. Venerated for its strength, beauty, and the symbolism is signifies, this truly will be a most treasured offering of the Royal Canadian Mint." JANET C. PREBUSHEWSKY DANYLIUK, Former Director and CEO, Ukrainian Museum of Canada

"The sunflower is a commonly used symbol for pysanka designs, and we wanted to bring it to life on our popular gold pysanka coin for 2023. We hope collectors will be delighted with this intricate and exquisite rendering of the sunflower, as we celebrate spring’s arrival and the return of sunny days!" ALICIA COOK SAPENE, Product Manager

PACKAGING

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

ABOUT THE ROYAL CANADIAN MINT

The Royal Canadian Mint is known as one of the most reputable mints in the world. The Ottawa Branch of the Royal Mint opened in 1908 and was renamed The Royal Canadian Mint in 1931 when control was transferred to the Canadian government. The Royal Canadian Mint is renowned for producing some of the highest quality and purity of gold and silver bullion coins and bars in the world. Their high standards for excellence and quality allowed them to be the first refinery to manufacture 9999 fine gold bullion coins in 1982, as well as the first to reach 99999 fine gold purity in 1998.