In 1880, Great Britain left Canada out in the cold — and that was a good thing. It was also the year Great Britain transferred all of its arctic territories to Canada. The move brought with it tons of frozen ice, a unique Eskimo culture and an array of animals unlike any in the world. In 1980, to commemorate Centenary of the Transfer of the Arctic Territories from Great Britain to Canada, the Royal Canadian mint issued a one-year-only commemorative silver dollar that featured the undisputed king of the arctic — the great Polar Bear. The Polar Bear’s massive size, legendary force and its mystical image of a solitary and roving carnivore who hunted everything — including man — made it an appropriate symbol to commemorate the centenary. The Polar Bear is featured on this design making its way across an arctic plain while a mountainous glacier looms unyieldingly in the background.