Gold coin honours Inuit art at Winnipeg gallery

Design inspired by Nunavik artist's carving

CBC News

Posted: Jan 16, 2013 1:09 PM ET

Last Updated: Jan 16, 2013 1:52 PM ET

The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a 99.99% fine gold collector coin with a 50-cent face value, bearing a design based on the carving Owl Shaman holding Goose by Inuit artist Joannassie Nowkawalk, from the collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery. (Royal Canadian Mint)

The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a 50 cent gold collector coin Tuesday honouring Inuit art and the centennial of the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The design of the coin was inspired by the carving Owl Shaman holding Goose by Inuk artist Joannassie Nowkawalk. Nowkawalk, a carver from Inukjuak, Que., created the piece in 1962.

The carving is part of the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s contemporary Inuit art collection, the largest in the world with more than 11,000 artworks. The gallery is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2012-2013.

The word Canada appears on the coin in English and in Inuktitut.

The mint will produce 10,000 of the gold 50 cent coins, which sell for about $130 each.

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