1956 Yukon Nuggets

by a malamute (or husky) standing on a mound of snow.

The Yukon Coat of Arms is a red, blue, gold and white shield surmounted by a malamute (or husky) standing on a mound of snow.

Wavy vertical white and blue stripes represent the Yukon River and the gold-bearing creeks of the Klondike. Red spire-like forms represent the territory's mountains and the gold circles within symbolize mineral resources. At the top of the shield is a cross of St. George in recognition of the early English explorers and a "roundel in vair" as a symbol of the fur trade.

The Yukon's Coat of Arms was commissioned by the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and designed by well-known heraldry expert Alan Beddoe in the early 1950's. It was approved officially by Queen Elizabeth II in February 1956.