In advance of Canada’s Centennial in 1967, celebrating 100 years since Confederation, the federal government held a competition for designs for the reverse (a.k.a. “tails”) of the six coins in circulation. The pre-eminent realist painter Alex Colville worked up a series of designs to submit to the Minister of Finance. Rather than focusing on famous historical figures or monuments, Colville concentrated on animals and plants. His original design for the five-cent coin featured a delicate branch of a spruce tree.

Colville’s proposal won the contest, and he subsequently worked with the Royal Canadian Mint on studies (and reliefs) for the final six designs. He explained that he wanted images that would “express not merely some particular time, place, or event, but a whole century of Canada, and even more; natural creatures provide this enduring and meaningful continuum.” These exquisite final studies of six animals in motion depict his designs from smallest to largest denomination:

1. Dove (Rock Dove) (1 cent)

2. Rabbit (Varying Hare) (5 cents)

3. Mackerel (10 cents), accompanied by Colville’s handwritten note

4. Bobcat (25 cents)

5. Wolf (50 cents)

6. Canada Goose (1 dollar)

As Helen J. Dow wrote in 1972 of Colville’s now iconic images:

In each case, the action implies the creature’s characteristic habitat, even though no setting is actually given in the reliefs. The artist intended these images to be meaningful in a broad sense, and it gave him special pleasure to realize that, as coins, they would escape the somewhat precious confines of what he regarded as the currently hermetic world of art.

In a 1966 press release from the Department of Finance, Colville gives his rationale for choosing each of the six creatures:

ONE DOLLAR: The Canada goose seems appropriate for the dollar since it is one of our most majestic creatures and is also particularly Canadian. There are other associations with travelling over great spaces, and a kind of serene dynamic quality in this bird.

FIFTY-CENT PIECE: The wolf, unfortunately no longer common, is here symbolic of the vastness and loneliness of Canada, and thus of our tradition and, to a degree, of our present condition. Yet the wolf is not a pathetic creature.

TWENTY-FIVE-CENT PIECE: The wildcat (bobcat) seemed appropriate for this coin, which is large enough for the subtle shape of this common, though rarely seen, animal. It is expressive of a certain intelligent independence and capacity for formidable action.

TEN-CENT PIECE: Being the smallest coin, this requires a simple and unambiguous image. I used the mackerel, one of the most beautiful and streamlined fish, common on both coasts. It has various implications; I think of it as a symbol of continuity.

FIVE-CENT PIECE: The rabbit (varying hare) is common, much loved by children, perhaps because of its vulnerability. It survives by alertness and speed, and is symbolically connected with ideas of fertility, new life and promise—it is thus a future, or united, animal.

ONE-CENT PIECE: For this I wished to use a very common bird, but one with symbolic overtones. I selected the dove (rock dove)—very common, in cities as well as the country, as the pigeon, and having associations with spiritual values and also with peace.

The year 1967 represented an important milestone in Canadian history, and the Centennial coins designed by Colville contributed to the evident sense of national excitement and pride. They were part of the Expo 67 world fair festivities. The previous year, Colville had represented Canada at the 33rd Venice Biennale, and in 1967, he became an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Please note: these works are matted but unframed. The illustration board and matting size is 12 x 12 inches. The images are circular, 8 x 8 inches each. The circular cut matting is original to the work, likely done by Colville’s hand.