Canada 2013 Smallest Animals #1 Hummingbird 25 Cents 0.5 Gram Pure Gold Proof

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Canada 2013 Smallest Animals #1 Hummingbird 25 Cents 0.5 Gram Pure Gold Proof:
$92.95

The world’s smallest, purest gold proof featuresthe miraculous Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, on this beautiful, low-mintage gem!

In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!

SOLD OUT at the Royal Canadian Mint!

Yes, it\'s a gold quarter! In an effort to make proof gold coins affordable for everyone, the Royal Canadian Mint has just announced the third release in its smallest gold coin series ever, the pure gold hummingbird! Aware that rising gold prices have madepurchases of this most-desirable of precious metals prohibitive for many who could previously easily afford gold, the Mint has responded with this reasonably priced investment piece, with a beautiful animal motif - minted in gold that\'s 99.99% pure! (Would you believe,less than a decade ago one could get an ounce of gold for less than $275!) The previous two Canadian half gram gold proofs (the Caribou Gold Proof and the Cougar Gold Proof) sold out handily.

The Hummingbird 0.5 Gram Gold Proof is the first release in the new series of Smallest Animals on Smallest Gold Coins. With it\'s extremely limited mintage of only 10,000, don\'t let this affordable, smallest gold gem escape - get it while you can! Designed by Canadian artist Claudio DÂ’Angelo, this coin depicts a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird in full flight - a pose that can only be captured by cutting-edge photographic equipment, given that its wings beat more than 50 times per second! Posed at the center of this highly polished pure gold proof, the minuscule marvel raises its dark long-billed head, its wings (each feather engraved in fine detail) fully extended behind it. From the tiny white spot above the birdÂ’s lifelike right eye to the downy feathering of its belly and dark-shaded tips of its back and tail-feathers, each detail of the hummingbirdÂ’s appearance is present despite the tiny size of both the coin and its subject. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
It is one of summer\'s most animated sights - ahummingbird flitting about the garden - up, down, left, right, flying in reverse - even hovering in one place as it sticks its long, slender bill deep into a flower for a drink of nectar.

Not much bigger than a large moth, the hummingbird packs a surprising punch for its diminutive size. It aggressively defends its food supply and territory, successfully chasing away much larger intruders with its quick, unpredictable maneuvers and the unsettling hum of its wings beating 55 to 75 times per second. Even an 800 km (500 mi) expanse of water is no match for this sturdy little bird that readily crosses the Gulf of Mexico to its wintering grounds in Central America - and then returns north the following spring to mate.

The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is solitary. Adults grow to about three inches long, with a four-inch wingspan, and weigh only 2 to 6 grams! The male features a scarlet patch on its throat that gives the species its name.
Investment NoteThe gold is pure - four 9s pure (.9999), in fact. And it\'s affordable. Previously, the smallest gold coin minted by the Royal Canadian Mint was the 1/25 ounce pure gold proof, and these always sell well. But the mintage limit for this new, half gram size ofgold coin is only 10,000 - certain to sell out, just like the previous two Canadian half gram gold proofs (the Caribou Gold Proof and the Cougar Gold Proof). Don\'t miss the boat - get this affordable gold proof while the gettin\'s good!
Technology Note
The marvelous minting technology of the Royal Canadian Mint has brought us the worldÂ’s smallest pure gold coin, in a purity (99.99%) that puts other, larger gold coins to shame!

ObverseA realistic, intricately detailed, frosted cameo depiction of a hummingbird flying, caught in mid flap.The denomination and date of issue also appear.
ReverseHer Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England, in profile facing right. This portrait, the fourth effigy of the queen to appear on Canadian coinage, was executed by the artist Susanna Blunt. The legend ELIZABETH II D. G. REGINA (\"Elizabeth II, Queen by the Grace of God\") also appears. PackagingThe coin is encapsulated inside a burgundy leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and protected by a black outer sleeve. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included.

SpecificationsCountryCanadaYear of Issue2013Face Value25 CentsWeight0.500 gDiameter11.00 mmMintage Limit 10,000FinishProofComposition.9999 Fine (Pure) GoldEdgeSerrated (milled, reeded)CertificateIndividually NumberedArtistClaudio D\'Angelo
Complete Certificate Text
The Hummingbird: The Canadian ForestÂ’s Miniscule Miracle

In Portuguese, they are known as beija-flores or Â“flower-kissers.Â” Early Spanish explorers called them joyas voladoras or Â“flying jewels.Â” Native to North and South America, hummingbirds are the smallest and among the most fascinating birds in the world.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) depicted on this extraordinary gold coin is one of CanadaÂ’s most common hummingbird species. Measuring 7 to 9 centimetres (2.75 to 3.5 inches) and weighing 3 to 4 grams (.10 to .14 ounces), it is about the size of a large moth. In fact, its proximity in size to insects can present a predatory threat: hummingbirds are known to become caught in spider webs. But the HummingbirdÂ’s tiny size is just one of its unique traits. Hummingbird wings beat at an astonishing rate of between 50 and 80 times per second. These amazing wings can also rotate 180 degrees on both the forestroke and the backstroke, giving hummingbirds a level of manoeuvrability unknown to other birds. They are the only birds in the world that can fly backwards. Hovering and flying sideways are other common manoeuvres of this exceptional animal, who uses these tactics against intruders to aggressively defend food sources. Like many North American bird species, Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate in late summer and early autumn to wintering grounds in Central America. Early observers of the species could not believe that such a tiny animal could successfully travel great distances by itselfÂ—including approximately 800 kilometres (497miles) across the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, the legend was that they travelled literally on the backs of other migrating birds, like Canada geese. Today, we know that hummingbirds do indeed make the entire two-week flight, including a twenty-hour flight across the Gulf of Mexico, without assistance from other birds.