2025 Canada Conservation Stories: Monarch Butterfly Specimen Set
Celebrate the power of pollinators through this conservation story. Order your 2025 Specimen Set today!
In the fall, the monarch butterfly embarks on one of the longest known migrations, pollinating and supporting diverse ecosystems as it travels from its breeding grounds in Canada to its wintering habitats. The 4,000-kilometre-long journey is fraught with danger, but even within Canada, this winged wonder—like many other pollinators—faces a myriad of challenges that threaten its survival, from climate change to habitat loss.
The endangered monarch butterfly and its sole host plant, milkweed, are highlighted on the 2025 Specimen Dollar. Flying on patterned wings that captivate and inspire, this well-known butterfly is the ideal poster species for pollinator decline, and for conservation through habitat restoration—an important step to help ensure monarchs and other pollinators will continue to add grace and colour to our world for years to come.
In addition to reducing herbicide/insecticide use and planting native flowering plants that nourish pollinators, gardeners and conservationists can help monarch butterflies by planting and preserving native milkweed—the species’ sole host plant and the only food source for monarch larvae/caterpillars. The milkweed’s bitter sap contains toxins that can be harmful to people and animals if consumed in large quantities, but that toxicity protects monarchs by making them unpalatable to predators.
The set-exclusive specimen dollar features a reverse design by artist Julius Csotonyi. An expression of hope for the plight of the endangered monarch butterfly (Danaus Plexippus), the design shows the captivating pollinator in flight, while the species’ host plant, milkweed (g. Asclepias), blooms in the background. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.
Specifications:
RCM Number: 248662
Mintage: 30,000
Finish: Specimen
Artist: Julius Csotonyi (dollar reverse), Steven Rosati (obverse)
