For hundreds of years, sailing ships ruled the seas, a golden era that ended with the arrival of steam in the 19th century.

This exciting new technology reached Canada northwest coast in 1836 in the form of the SS Beaver, a stout, 31 m vessel built in England for the Hudson Bay Company (HBC). She was considered to be on the cutting edge, a rare sail-and-steam hybrid that generated a lot of attention.

The Beaver sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, around Cape Horn and up the coast to one of HBC furtrading posts where her 4 m steam-powered paddle wheels were installed.

After 27 years as a supply ship, the Beaver began charting the coast for the Royal Navy. She also served as a freighter and towboat. Her illustrious career came to an abrupt end in 1888 when she ran aground in Vancouver Harbour.

Handcrafted artistry combined with the latest minting technology has produced a coin with ultra-crisp definition and relief that is distinguished even more by its unique laser effect.

Coin reverse: The Beaver as she would have appeared in 1836, prior to the many retrofits that marked her career. In the foreground, two workers await her arrival on a supply-laden quay.