Head of Queen Elizabeth II, as at 77 years of age, bare headed, wearing necklace and earrings, facing right.
Obverse script
Latin
Obverse lettering
ELIZABETH II D•G•REGINA (Translation: Elizabeth II Queen by the grace of God)
Reverse description
This coin includes a gold-plated image of the Statue of Cleopatra VII, a unique piece that was purchased in the early 1900s by the museum’s first director. This ancient granite bust is believed to be a rare, idealized representation of the Egyptian queen whose romantic conquests earned her immortality. Behind the bust, the crystalline-like shape of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal rises up to fill much of the image field, adding a modern element to the design. Its angled, prismatic structures are rendered in beautiful detail – from the aluminum strips giving the building its brushed metal appearance, to the many windows that capture and reflect light. The museum’s centennial is commemorated above the building with the words “100 YEARS ANS,” while below are engraved the face value of “20 DOLLARS” and the word “CANADA.”
