The Cougar, also known as the Mountain Lion is the second heaviest cat in the New World after the Jaguar, and ranges over a territory larger than any large wild terrestrial animal in the Western Hemisphere. Found as far down as the southern Andes in South America, many also call the Canadian Yukon their home.

Generally a nocturnal hunter and eating anything from large mammals such as deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep, as well as domestic cattle, horses and sheep, they also snack on insects and rodents when the need arises. They’ve also been known to take the occasional munch on humans, but the cougar generally avoids contact wherever possible.

The Cougar is an excellent subject for one of the Royal Canadian Mints (RCM) superb wildlife-themed coins, and they do owe the animal a favour to make up for the average depiction of them on the ‘Canadian Wildlife’ bullion coins from 2012. In my view the RCM has certainly done the business, with some fine artwork, especially on the coloured silver coin which immediately ranks amongst the finest depictions of a big cat on a coin in years.

COUGAR ATOP A MOUNTAIN

The first coin ships this month and cost $89.95 CND. It’s the only silver coin untouched by a follow-on process and as a result is the cheapest in the set.

DESIGN: The coin features a female cougar negotiating a rocky mountain pass. Viewed from her left side, the cougar is presented in full-body detail, each massive muscle in her powerful back legs, shoulders, and fore-paws finely rendered. Her long, counterbalancing tail hangs gracefully behind her and her head is lowered as she uses her exceptional vision to determine the best path through the landscape.

The lower half of the image depicts the massive outcroppings of a barren mountainside. In the background of the upper half of the image we see a few scraggly pine boughs, adding visual interest to the image and balancing the lower half of the design.

COUGAR PERCHED ON A MAPLE TREE

The star of the range for me, superb sculpt of the animal, and perfectly applied selective colouration all combine to produce a top-drawer wildlife coin. Available in October for $99.95.

DESIGN: coin features a female cougar resting silently on a tree limb. The focal point of this beautifully detailed image is the cougar’s intense gaze as she locks her unseen prey in her sights. Her gaze will not leave this unsuspecting target until she is upon it. Her left forepaw and muscular front arm extend down the tree limb, claws extended to ensure her grip. Her entire body curls under her as she gathers her full power to leap.

Beneath the tree limb, her long tail provides the perfect counter-balance, ensuring the uncanny accuracy and distance of her leap. The image is beautifully balanced by the spray of leafy maple branches, transformed to autumnal orange, that provide the cougar with the camouflage that is so essential to her hunting success.

The only coin in the set not designed by Glen Loates, this Maurade Baynton design holds it own and sits very well with the others. This coin ships in November and will cost $114.95.

DESIGN: features a female cougar leaping through the snow toward her prey. Viewed from the position of the prey animal, this dynamic portrait presents to stunning effect the cougar’s most important hunting tools: her large, powerful fore-paws, highly muscular back legs, long counterbalance tail, strong shoulders for holding down prey, and sharp gaze. In a stylized landscape of snow-covered rocky terrain, she leaps with intense focus toward the viewer.

The cougar is finished in gold plating to bring the intensity of the image to life.

COUGAR GOLD & PLATINUM

These two coins form the part of the larger five-coin subscription set not in the three silver coin subscription. The only disappointment with this set is the repeating of the artwork on the two most expensive coins. It’s a nice design, but even some minor changes, like one roaring with an open mouth perhaps, would have increased appeal. The gold is $279.95, the platinum that ships last IS $299.95.

DESIGN: The gold and platinum coins feature a portrait of a female cougar. The animal’s powerful, intimidating golden eyes ringed in dark tones, blunt muzzle spiked with long whiskers, short round ears, and dense fur are presented in full detail, bringing the intensity of the moment fully to life.