Andrew Qappik’s Designs on Canadian Coins
Panniqtuuq (Pangnirtung) artist Andrew Qappik recently designed two 25-cent coins, that will be released by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2017. The limited-edition coins are part of a four-part series that explores the predator-and-prey relationship between the Arctic fox and the Arctic hare. Qappik’s designs feature a fox and hare surrounded by a walrus, lemming, falcon and fish. The coins boast the distinction of being the smallest-ever gold coin produced by the Royal Canadian Mint, at 11-millimetres in diameter. Qappik gained acclaim in 1978 when, at 14 years old, he had five prints included in the annual Pangnirtung Print Collection. He has since been a staple of the Pangnirtung Print Collection and designed the polar bear logo used by the Government of Nunavut.