1 oz Predator Silver Coin

Four Canadian Apex Predators in .9999 Silver

The 1 oz Predator silver coin comes from a completed four-coin series produced by the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) from 2016 to 2019. Each coin features one of Canada's apex predators in .9999 fine silver (99.99%), one of the highest purities available in bullion coins worldwide. All four coins are legal tender with a face value of $5 CAD, backed by the Government of Canada.

The four releases were the Cougar (2016, mintage 1,000,000), Lynx (2017, mintage 500,000), Wolf (2018, mintage 300,000), and Grizzly Bear (2019, mintage 500,000), for a combined total of 2,300,000 coins. The declining mintage pattern makes the 2018 Wolf the scarcest coin in the series, and it typically commands the highest premiums on the secondary market.

Three of the four coins were designed by Emily Damstra, a prolific designer for both the RCM and the US Mint (she designed the 2022 US Quarter featuring Anna May Wong). The 2018 Wolf was designed by Nathalie Lagace, another regular RCM engraver, giving it a noticeably different artistic style. Each design captures its predator in an action pose: striking, poised, running, or leaping, giving the series a unified sense of dynamism despite the different artists and animals.

The series is complete with no further releases planned. All four coins are available only on the secondary market. As RCM products with .9999 purity and legal tender status, they carry the same institutional credibility as the 1 oz Silver Maple Leaf, though without the Maple Leaf's DNA anti-counterfeiting technology.

Predator Series Specifications

Individual Coins

All four coins feature the Queen Elizabeth II obverse portrait by Susanna Blunt (the series predates the transition to King Charles III on Canadian coinage). The RCM bullion finish, with brilliant frosted relief on a lined background, provides a distinctive appearance that is difficult to replicate. Reeded edge on all coins.

The RCM's standard bullion security measures apply, including precise weight and diameter tolerances that conform to the mint's manufacturing standards. The Predator series does not include the DNA micro-engraving or radial lines anti-counterfeiting features that are reserved for the Maple Leaf bullion line. Each design captures its subject in an action pose: the cougar striking, the lynx poised, the wolf running, and the grizzly leaping, creating visual consistency across the four-year programme despite the change in designer for the 2018 Wolf.

Predator Series Tax Treatment by Country

As legal tender coins from the Government of Canada with .9999 fine silver purity, the Predator series receives favourable tax treatment in most jurisdictions.

Canada

GST/HST-exempt as legal tender bullion coins. The .9999 purity far exceeds the 99.9% threshold. The RCM is a Crown corporation, giving these coins strong domestic recognition. Capital gains are subject to the 50% inclusion rate.

United States

IRA-eligible. The .9999 purity exceeds the IRS minimum of 99.9% for silver, and the coins are issued by a sovereign mint. Sales tax varies by state, with approximately 35 states exempting bullion. Capital gains taxed at the 28% collectibles rate.

United Kingdom

Silver coins are subject to 20% VAT on purchase. The Canadian legal tender status does not exempt them from UK VAT. Pre-owned examples may be available under the margin scheme. Not CGT-exempt (not UK legal tender). UK buyers seeking CGT exemption should consider the 1 oz Silver Britannia.

Australia

Investment-grade silver at 99.9% purity is GST-exempt. The .9999 purity comfortably exceeds this threshold. The RCM brand is well-recognised by Australian dealers.

New Zealand

Silver at 99.9% purity is GST-exempt. No capital gains tax. The .9999 purity qualifies.

Singapore

The IPM scheme exempts silver coins at 99.9% purity that are or were legal tender. The Predator coins qualify on both counts.

European Union

Subject to local VAT rates on silver coins. May qualify for reduced VAT treatment as legal tender coins in some member states. Country-specific rules apply.

Hong Kong

No sales tax, import duty, or capital gains tax.

Predator vs Maple Leaf, Birds of Prey, and Perth Mint Wildlife

The most direct comparison is with the 1 oz Silver Maple Leaf, the RCM's own flagship bullion coin. Both share .9999 purity, $5 CAD face value, and legal tender status. The Maple Leaf has unlimited mintage, Bullion DNA micro-engraving, and radial lines anti-counterfeiting features, none of which the Predator series includes. The Predator's advantage is its limited mintage (300,000 to 1,000,000 vs unlimited) and collectible design themes, which can support secondary-market premiums above what a standard Maple Leaf achieves.

The Predator series directly succeeded the RCM's Birds of Prey series (2014-2016), another four-coin programme with the same format. Both series use the same combination of .9999 silver, $5 face value, and limited annual mintages to create a collector-bullion hybrid. The Birds of Prey series has established a secondary market track record that the Predator series has followed.

Against the Perth Mint's Australian wildlife coins, which offer comparable .9999 purity but with Australian dollar face values and different design aesthetics, the choice comes down to regional preference and dealer availability. Perth Mint products have strong liquidity in Asia-Pacific markets; RCM products are stronger in North America and Europe.

The four animals in the Predator series represent different ecological niches: the cougar as an ambush predator, the lynx as a stealth hunter, the wolf as a pack predator, and the grizzly bear as an opportunistic omnivore. The 2016 Cougar's 1,000,000 mintage was ambitious for a limited-series coin; the subsequent reduction to 500,000 and 300,000 suggests the RCM calibrated production to actual demand, making later issues scarcer and potentially more valuable on the secondary market.