A very expensive coat made out of mink pelt. Mink is a small, semiaquatic, carnivorous mammal known for its soft, lustrous fur. Native to Europe and North America, the mink has been hunted in the wild for centuries. In the late 1800s, mink farms were established on both continents by the fur clothing industry to efficiently replace hunting. Mink coats for women are especially highly prized, and are a symbol of wealth, status, and luxury.