This is only a bat coin in the broadest sense. There are untold numbers of coins and coin-like things with the Chinese blessings symbols on them, and the bat is one of the more prominent symbols. Often the only symbol, with a ring of five bats making up the design. But I am just firing up this round of bat coins and this one was next on the list.
While this is a coin, with a denomination of five Canadian dollars, it was minted more as silver bullion. I can find no mintage figure so really don't know how many were made, but it sold for just a little over the value of the silver and most major dealers sold out of them fairly quickly. It has a diameter of 38mm, like most silver rounds and weighs in at 1 ounce. Other similar coins to this one were also minted in other years and also in gold, but it is not enough of a bat coin for me to collect every variety available.
The obverse is the standard issue current portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with just a few words around the rim noting just that along with the date and the denomination. Of note, these come in a tightly sealed plastic wrap, so the photos have weird glare around the edges. This also created a problem for the coins themselves as many were issued with "milk spots" on them likely from impurities inside the casing when it was sealed. These spotty ones are not in demand so look carefully at any of these if you are thinking to buy one.
While this is a coin, with a denomination of five Canadian dollars, it was minted more as silver bullion. I can find no mintage figure so really don't know how many were made, but it sold for just a little over the value of the silver and most major dealers sold out of them fairly quickly. It has a diameter of 38mm, like most silver rounds and weighs in at 1 ounce. Other similar coins to this one were also minted in other years and also in gold, but it is not enough of a bat coin for me to collect every variety available.
The obverse is the standard issue current portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with just a few words around the rim noting just that along with the date and the denomination. Of note, these come in a tightly sealed plastic wrap, so the photos have weird glare around the edges. This also created a problem for the coins themselves as many were issued with "milk spots" on them likely from impurities inside the casing when it was sealed. These spotty ones are not in demand so look carefully at any of these if you are thinking to buy one.
Canada $5 Silver Five Blessings obverse
The reverse of the coin has the four animals and one symbol associated with the five blessings. The bat is up top and is, as usual for such things, highly stylized and actually quite dragon-like up close. Very hard to get an acceptable photo through that plastic sheeting of the details, but...
Close up of the bat on the reverse of 2016 Canada $5 Five Blessings coin
The other animals are the deer, cranes and magpie along with the Chinese symbol for good fortune.
The other animals are pretty close to reality, so interesting that they still chose to use the stylized bat instead of a real example. Other than that it has the country name on it and notes that it is 1 ounce. 0.9999 fine silver is written both in English and in Latin for all those folks who don't get to read enough Latin in their daily lives.
Stay tuned! Canada really rocked the house with its latest bat coin, and that one will be up next...
Stay tuned! Canada really rocked the house with its latest bat coin, and that one will be up next...
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