Buy Canadian Predator Series Coins

Canadian Silver Predator Series

Canadian silver coins are highly sought after by collectors and investors alike. The Canadian Silver Maple Leaf is the Royal Canadian Mint’s (RCM's) most popular and most recognizable silver bullion coin. But this sovereign mint also produces many special editions and coin series which are coveted in Canada and may even be more popular in the United States.

Among those is the Canadian Predator series of coins which were introduced in 2016. As of this writing, three of the four planned coins in the series have been released.

History

Two previous wildlife-themed series have led to the Canadian Predator series described here. The first series, called "Canadian Wildlife" ran from 2011 to 2013. This was followed by the "Birds of Prey" series from 2014 to 2015. The wildlife-themed coins have proven to be a big hit globally.

The Silver Canadian Wildlife series includes one troy-ounce coin of .9999 silver. There are six designs in total at a release rate of two per year. The 2011 coins carried the timber wolf and grizzly, followed by cougar and moose in 2012. The series concluded with the pronghorn antelope and wood bison in 2013.

Following the conclusion of the Canadian Wildlife series, RCM introduced the Birds of Prey. Two designs – the Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle - were introduced in 2014. The Mint released the Red-Tailed Hawk and Great Horned Owl bullion coins in the following year.

Each run of coins in the Silver Canadian Wild Life and the Birds of Prey series was limited to 1,000,000 coins. The Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle proof coins were limited to 20,000 and 7,500 units respectively.

The Timber Wolf, Grizzly, and Cougar coins were designed by William Woodruff. The other coins mentioned were designed by Emily S. Damstra, who is also the designer of the Canadian Silver Predator Series of coins.

Properties

The Canadian Silver Predator coins are available exclusively as bullion strike coins and will not be issued in proof strikes. Each coin in the series weighs one troy-ounce coin with 99.99% silver purity. The three released coins are legal tender in Canada with a face value of five Canadian dollars.

Like all Silver Maple Leaf coins, Silver Predators are 31.11 grams in mass, 37.97 millimeters across, 3.29 millimeters thick, and have a reeded (serrated) edge.

For the Silver Predator Series, the obverse of all coins is a 2003 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt.

Silver Predator Series Coins

The series began with The Cougar in 2016. As of this writing the Canadian Silver Predator series is three coins strong with a fourth to come. Instead of two coins a year as was done with prior wildlife coins, these are issued at a rate of one each year. The fourth design is expected out in 2019.

2016 Silver Predator - Cougar

The Silver Predator series opened with the fearsome cougar. Known as the stealthiest hunter among wild cats, the cougar adorns the coin's reverse side. The cat is depicted at full stretch as it lunges for its prey.

Above the cougar are inscriptions for “CANADA” and the coin’s silver content. Below the image, you will find “FINE SILVER 1OZ ARGENT PUR” inscribed, as well as a small maple leaf mint mark, and the designer’s initials.

The reverse features the aforementioned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the year of issuance, the $5 dollar face value, and inscriptions that read “ELIZABETH II” and “D. G. REGINA.”

2017 Silver Predator - Lynx

After the successful launch of the 2016 Cougar, the Royal Canadian Mint issued the Lynx the following year. 

The reverse features a pouncing lynx. The other details are identical to the first coin. This includes the obverse with the portrait of the queen.

2018 Silver Predator - Wolf

In 2018, the Royal Canadian Mint released the Silver Wolf, the third in the series.

The Wolf has the same size and specs as the previous two. However, it is the first one to depict a non-feline predator.

The reverse side of the coin shows the left side of a wolf, once again at full stretch and pouncing upon its prey. The image was designed by Emily Damstra. The rest of the details carry over from the earlier coins. 

The Fourth Coin

The fourth coin in the series was released in 2019. The design is of a Canadian grizzly bear. 

Mintages

The mintage figures for the Canadian Silver Predator series have been decreasing with each released coin. Riding on the success of the Silver Canadian Wildlife and Birds of Prey series, the original Canadian Silver Predator Cougar was struck to the full limit of 1,000,000 units. The mintage declined to 500,000 for the Lynx and was reduced further to 300,000 Silver Wolves in 2018.

Investing in Canadian Silver Predator Coins

The Silver Maple Leaf and other coins issued by Canada's sovereign mint are popular and well-regarded by investors around the globe. The Canadian Silver Predator series in particular is quite popular with US investors and collectors.

The limited production numbers make the series even more appealing to collectors. Despite that premiums paid to acquire these coins are quite low.

The series is still active, and the premiums may rise over time as fewer coins are available for trading.

The price of silver is, as of this writing, well below the 2011 highs which makes these coins affordable. 

Predator coins are available to order in any quantity - putting them within reach to aspiring investors with modest means.

What to Look for

Buy coins in good condition from a reputable dealer with fair pricing and you can't go wrong. Many dealers, including Money Metals Exchange, publish pricing live so it is easy to shop and compare. You should expect coins to be priced within a few dollars of the silver "spot" market price.