Balance and Composition – the 2-dollar Coin
The 2-dollar coin, or 'Toonie', as Canadians have named it, features the image of an adult polar bear in early summer on an ice floe. It was designed by wildlife and landscape artist Brent Townsend. The 2-dollar coin was first introduced on February 19, 1996, to replace the 2-dollar bill. The 'Toonie' has a life span approximately 20 times longer than paper currency and is manufactured using a distinctive bi-metallic coin locking mechanism patented by the Royal Canadian Mint.
Reverse Side Designs
(1996-1998 and 2001-2003)
When introduced in 1996, the 2-dollar circulation coin showed a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Canadian artist Dora de Pedery-Hunt. This image of Her Majesty appeared on all Canadian circulation coins from 1990 to 2003. The iconic Polar Bear design on the reverse is the work of renowned wildlife artist Brent Townsend.
The Founding of Nunavut (1999)
Nunavut First Nations artist Germaine Arnaktauyok created a special design to commemorate the founding of Nunavut, Canada's newest territory. This design appeared on all 1999 2-dollar coins produced for general circulation. In 1999, the Polar Bear design appeared only in a limited number of special coin sets produced for the collector market.
Path of Knowledge (2000)
For the new millennium, artist Tony Bianco illustrated a female polar bear and her two cubs to represent the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next. The inscription on the coin's outer rim reads "Knowledge - Le Savoir." This was the only "tails" design to appear on the 2000 2-dollar circulation coin.
Two new coins for the 10th Anniversary of the 2-dollar Circulation Coin (2006)
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of its introduction, the 2-dollar circulation coin was produced in two versions: the first honouring the traditional Polar Bear design of artist Tony Bianco and the second featuring his updated pose of the bear looking up at the dramatic lines of an Aurora Borealis.
It is important to note the position of 1996-2006 double date on each coin: the traditional bear design shows the date beneath the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, while the updated bear shows the date above the effigy.
In 2006, we also introduced the Mint Mark on the obverse side of all Canadian circulation coinage. The Mint Mark encompasses the three elements of the Mint's corporate name: M for Mint; a Maple leaf for Canadian; and a crown for Royal and Crown Corporation. It features the Mint design within a circle and consists of a symbol depicting a stylized maple leaf emerging from the letter M.
With the exception of the 2008 2-dollar circulation coin celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City, the Mint Mark always appears beneath the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse of 2-dollar circulation coins produced since 2006. Since the introduction of the Mint Mark, the maple leaf no longer appears above the effigy of Her Majesty.
400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City (2008)
Quebec artist Geneviève Bertrand won a design competition to create a new reverse of the 2-dollar circulation coin commemorating the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. The date 1608 appeared on the left side of the outer ring, while 2008 appeared on the right of the ring on this commemorative coin's reverse side. Only six million of these special coins circulated, in addition to more than 17 million 2008 Toonies produced with the traditional Polar Bear design.
As the date was moved to the reverse side of this commemorative coin, the Mint Mark was moved to the core of the coin on the obverse, to the immediate left of Her Majesty's effigy.
Technical Specifications
1996 – 2012
Composition: outer ring 99% nickel, inner core 92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel
Weight (g): 7.3
Diameter (mm): 28
Thickness (mm): 1.8
2012 – present
Composition: outer ring – multi-ply nickel plated steel, insert – multi-ply brass plated aluminum bronze
Weight (g): 6.92
Diameter (mm): 28
Thickness (mm): 1.75
Two laser marks of maple leaves, each within a circle, at the bottom of the coin's reverse
A virtual image of two maple leaves will appear at the top of the coin – a different image is produced as the coin is turned from side to side.
Edge-lettering of the words "CANADA" and "2 DOLLARS" are engraved along the coin's outer edge.
Mintages
1996 – 1999
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 375,483,000 |
| 1997 | 16,942,000 |
| 1998 | 5,309,000 |
| 1999 | 25,130,000 |
2000 – 2009
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 29,847,000 |
| 2001 | 11,910,000 |
| 2002 | 27,020,000 |
| 2003 | 11,244,000 |
| 2004 | 12,908,000 |
| 2005 | 38,317,000 |
| 2006 | 35,319,000 |
| 2007 | 38,957,000 |
| 2008 | 18,400,000 |
| 2009 | 38,430,000 |
2010 – 2019
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8,220,000 |
| 2011 | 27,488,000 |
| 2012 | 89,185,000 |
| 2013 | 12,390,000 |
| 2014 | 16,305,000 |
| 2015 | 30,378,500 |
| 2016 | 25,669,000 |
| 2017 | 39,595,000 |
| 2018 | 26,730,000 |
| 2019 | 25,995,000 |
2020 – present
| Year | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 17,235,000 |
Canadian Circulation
Over 1 billion circulation coins are minted each year at our high-tech plant in Winnipeg. We not only produce all of Canada’s circulation coins, we also manage the national coin supply – from weekly forecasting, to production, to recycling and eventual retirement.
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