1.5 oz Canada Silver $8 Arctic Fox BU

It is a Royal Canadian Mint bullion coin from the Canadian Wildlife series, struck in 2014. The reverse shows an arctic fox crossing rippled ground with a treeline behind, designed by Maurice Gervais. The obverse carries Susanna Blunt's effigy of Queen Elizabeth II with the $8 face value and the 2014 date.

One and a half troy ounces — 46.66 grams of .9999 fine silver. That is a full 50% more silver than a standard 1 oz coin, which is unusual: most sovereign silver comes in 1 oz. The 1.5 oz format was specific to this Canadian Wildlife issue.

Yes. The coin is stamped 9999 and ARGENT PUR on the reverse — the same four-nines purity the Royal Canadian Mint uses on its Silver Maple Leaf, and higher than the .999 standard on American Silver Eagles or Austrian Philharmonics.

Yes. Silver for a self-directed IRA must be at least .999 fine and produced by a national government mint or an accredited refiner. This coin is .9999 fine from the Royal Canadian Mint, Canada's sovereign mint, so it qualifies. The metal must be held by an approved depository rather than delivered to you — confirm the process with your custodian, as some apply their own policies to themed or short-run issues.

2014 — the Arctic Fox was a single-year issue, so every coin carries that date. That is different from a random-year listing where the date varies with stock.

Treat it as silver first. The Canadian Wildlife series has a following and the 1.5 oz Arctic Fox had a limited mintage, so it sometimes trades a little above a plain bullion ounce-for-ounce. But the reliable value is the 1.5 troy oz of .9999 fine silver — anything beyond that is upside, not a promise.

Same mint, same .9999 purity, 50% more silver per coin. The Maple Leaf is struck every year in far larger numbers, so it usually carries a lower premium per ounce and resells faster. Buy the Arctic Fox if you want the design and the heavier format; buy Maples if you want the cheapest .9999 sovereign ounce.

It is legal tender in Canada at $8 CAD, but that figure is nominal and far below the coin's silver value. Price follows live silver spot plus a premium, never the face value.

Utah exempts investment-grade precious metals from sales tax. A silver coin purchased in Utah should not be subject to sales tax. Confirm with your dealer at the time of purchase.