1.5 oz Snow Falcon Silver Coin

The RCM's Arctic Raptor in 1.5 oz Silver

The 1.5 oz Snow Falcon is a single-year silver bullion coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2016, featuring the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) in flight. The gyrfalcon is the largest falcon species in the world, native to Arctic and subarctic regions including northern Canada, and was historically prized in Viking and medieval Norse falconry. A white gyrfalcon was considered a gift fit for a king.

This coin was the fourth design in the RCM's 1.5 oz silver bullion programme, following the Polar Bear (2013), Arctic Fox (2014), and Polar Bear and Cub (2015). The programme continued after the Snow Falcon with the Grizzly Bear (2017) and Snowy Owl (2018), each celebrating Canadian Arctic wildlife in a single-year release at this unconventional weight. Struck in .9999 fine silver with a $8 CAD face value, the Snow Falcon delivers 50% more silver per coin than a standard 1 oz piece while maintaining the four-nines purity that distinguishes RCM products from most competing sovereign mints.

The 1.5 oz format was an RCM innovation designed to differentiate from the ubiquitous 1 oz silver coin market. At 38 mm diameter (identical to the 1 oz Maple Leaf) but 4.5 mm thick (roughly 50% thicker than a standard 1 oz coin), the Snow Falcon fits standard 38 mm capsules while offering a noticeably heavier feel. Tubes hold 15 coins rather than the standard 20 or 25, with a full tube containing 22.5 troy ounces of silver. Monster boxes contain 300 coins (450 troy ounces).

Snow Falcon Silver Coin Specifications

The coin features radial lines on both obverse and reverse faces, an RCM anti-counterfeiting measure that creates a light-diffracting pattern visible under magnification. This security feature makes counterfeiting significantly more difficult and provides a quick authenticity indicator for dealers and buyers. The reeded edge adds a further layer of physical verification. As a government-backed coin, the Snow Falcon carries the RCM guarantee of weight and purity.

The 38 mm diameter is notable because it matches the standard 1 oz Maple Leaf despite containing 50% more silver. The additional metal is accommodated entirely through the increased 4.5 mm thickness, which gives the coin a distinctive cylindrical profile and satisfying weight in hand. This design decision means the Snow Falcon fits standard 38 mm coin capsules and holders designed for 1 oz coins, simplifying storage despite the non-standard weight.

Snow Falcon Tax and Legal Status

The Snow Falcon is Canadian legal tender with a $8 CAD face value, fully backed by the Government of Canada. This sovereign status affects its tax treatment across multiple jurisdictions.

Canada

GST/HST exempt as an investment-grade RCM coin meeting the 99.9% purity threshold for precious metals exemption. The .9999 purity comfortably exceeds this requirement. No distinction is drawn between current and discontinued RCM coins for tax purposes.

United States

IRA-eligible for precious metals individual retirement accounts. The .9999 purity exceeds the .999 minimum required by IRS Section 408(m) for silver in tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Sales tax treatment varies by state, with approximately 35 states fully exempting bullion purchases. Capital gains are taxed at the 28% collectibles rate for holdings exceeding one year.

United Kingdom

Subject to 20% VAT on purchase. Silver bullion does not qualify for the investment gold VAT exemption regardless of purity or legal tender status. The Snow Falcon is not CGT-exempt in the UK (not British legal tender). Margin scheme pricing may be available on pre-owned examples from dealers using the second-hand goods scheme.

European Union

Standard silver VAT rates apply (19-27% depending on country). In Germany, the margin scheme (Differenzbesteuerung) may reduce effective VAT on imported or pre-owned silver coins. The Netherlands offers margin scheme treatment on pre-owned coins only.

Australia and New Zealand

In Australia, silver at 99.9% or above purity qualifies as GST-free investment-grade bullion. The Snow Falcon's .9999 purity meets this threshold. In New Zealand, silver at 99.9% or above purity in coin form is GST-exempt. Neither country offers capital gains tax exemption for silver bullion.

The RCM 1.5 oz Programme and Its Wildlife Legacy

The Royal Canadian Mint launched its 1.5 oz silver bullion programme in 2013 with the Polar Bear, creating a new weight category in the bullion market. The format was a deliberate commercial innovation, offering buyers more silver per coin than the standard 1 oz format at a competitive per-ounce premium. The programme proved commercially successful enough to run for at least six years with a different wildlife design annually.

The Snow Falcon, released in 2016, depicted the gyrfalcon in a design that captured the bird in flight with wings spread against a clean background. The reverse incorporated radial lines along the outer border, consistent with the RCM's security-focused design language introduced across its bullion range in this period. The obverse carried Susanna Blunt's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, notably the first design since the 1930s to depict the monarch without a crown or tiara.

The gyrfalcon has deep connections to Canadian heritage and northern culture. As the world's largest true falcon, with a wingspan reaching 160 cm, it hunts across the Arctic tundra from Canada to Scandinavia. The bird was historically so valued in European falconry that it was reserved for royalty; Icelandic sagas describe white gyrfalcons as diplomatic gifts between kings. This cultural significance made it a fitting subject for a Canadian bullion coin programme celebrating northern wildlife.

Each coin in the 1.5 oz programme was a single-year release, which created built-in collectibility within what was primarily a bullion product. The Snow Falcon sits between the 1.5 oz Polar Bear and Cub (2015) and the 1.5 oz Grizzly Bear (2017) in the programme's chronology.

Snow Falcon vs Other 1.5 oz RCM Silver Coins

Within the RCM's own 1.5 oz programme, the Snow Falcon competes for collector and stacker attention with designs from adjacent years. The 1.5 oz Polar Bear (the inaugural 2013 issue) and Snowy Owl (2018) tend to command slightly stronger secondary market premiums due to the Polar Bear's first-issue status and the Snowy Owl's popular subject matter. All coins in the programme share identical specifications: .9999 purity, 38 mm diameter, 4.5 mm thickness, $8 CAD face value.

Against the 1.5 oz Perth Mint Platypus, the Snow Falcon offers the same .9999 purity in a slightly smaller diameter (38 mm vs 40.9 mm) but with a higher face value ($8 CAD vs $2 AUD). The Perth Mint coin carries Australian legal tender status and Perth's production guarantee, while the Snow Falcon benefits from the RCM's established reputation in the 1.5 oz format and wider dealer network in North America.

Compared to a standard 1 oz Silver Maple Leaf, the Snow Falcon provides 50% more silver at the same purity level. The Maple Leaf benefits from unlimited mintage, universal dealer recognition, and the RCM's Bullion DNA and MINTSHIELD technologies (introduced after the Snow Falcon's 2016 release). Per-ounce premiums on the Snow Falcon are typically comparable to or slightly above the Maple Leaf, making the premium trade-off modest for the additional silver content and unique design.

The single-year production gives the Snow Falcon a defined character that perpetually minted coins lack. Buyers seeking a complete set of the RCM 1.5 oz programme will need specific years, which supports secondary market premiums above generic bullion levels over time.