Canadian Dollar

The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents.

Owing to the image of a loon on the one-dollar coin, the currency is sometimes referred to as the loonie.[1]




Canadian Dollar Coin Specifications: [2]

1935 - 1967
Composition: 80% silver, 20% copper
Weight (g): 23.3
Diameter (mm): 36.06
Thickness (mm): 2.84

1968 - 1982
Composition: 99.9% nickel
Weight (g): 15.62
Diameter (mm): 32.13
Thickness (mm): 2.62

1982 - 1986
Composition: 99% nickel (minimum)
Weight (g): 15.62
Diameter (mm): 32.13
Thickness (mm): 2.55

1987
Composition: 91.5% nickel, 8.5% bronze plating
Weight (g): 7
Diameter (mm): 26.72
Thickness (mm): 1.95

1988 - 2002
Composition: 91.5% nickel, 8.5% bronze plating
Weight (g): 7
Diameter (mm): 26.5
Thickness (mm): 1.75

2003 - 2012
Composition: 91.5% nickel, 8.5% bronze plating
Weight (g): 7
Diameter (mm): 26.5
Thickness (mm): 1.95

2012 - present
Composition: multi-ply brass plated steel
Weight (g): 6.27
Diameter (mm): 26.5
Thickness (mm): 1.95
A single laser mark of a maple leaf positioned within a circle on the coin's reverse






Reverse Canadian Dollar Coin Designs [2]

1935 - 1938, 1940 - 1948, 1950 - 1957, 1959 - 1963, 1965 - 1966, 1968 - 1969, and 1975 - 1986 - The Voyageur
This design by Emanuel Hahn features a voyageur and an aboriginal travelling by canoe. One of the bundles depicted on the coin bears the initials "H.B." for Hudson's Bay Company. The illustration has been modified only slightly over the years.

1939 - The Royal Visit
This design by Emanuel Hahn commemorates the visit of His Majesty King George VI and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth to Ottawa. The Latin phrase "Fide Quorum Regnat" means "He reigns by the faith of his people."

1949 - Newfoundland's accession to Canada
Thomas Shingles' design commemorates Newfoundland's status as a province of Canada. Pictured on the coin is The Matthew, the ship historians believe John Cabot was sailing when he discovered Newfoundland. Below the ship reads the Latin inscription "Floreat Terra Nova," meaning: "May the New Found Land Flourish."

1958 - The founding of British Columbia
Stephen Trenka's totem pole and Rocky Mountain backdrop marks the centenary of both the Gold Rush and the creation of British Columbia as a colony of England.

1964 - The Confederation meetings
Thomas Shingles' design features the French fleur-de-lis, the Irish shamrock, the Scottish thistle, and the English rose. It commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Quebec City meetings that led to Confederation.

1967 - The centennial dollar
Alex Colville created a special set of coin designs to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation; the 1-dollar coin features a Canada goose. After 1967, circulation 1-dollar coins were made of nickel until 1987, when the 'loonie' was introduced.

1970 - Manitoba's centennial
Raymond Taylor's prairie crocus design commemorates the centennial of Manitoba's accession to Canada.

1971 - British Columbia's centennial
Thomas Shingles' design commemorates the centennial of British Columbia's accession to Canada. The coin features British Columbia's coat of arms and its provincial flower, the dogwood.

1973 - Prince Edward Island's centennial
Walter Ott's rendering of P.E.I.'s Provincial Legislature building commemorates the centennial of the province's accession to Canada.

1974 - Winnipeg's centennial
Patrick Brindley created this design from a drawing by Paul Pederson to commemorate Winnipeg's centennial anniversary. Inside the two zeroes of '"00" are images of Winnipeg's Main street in 1874 (left) and 1974 (right).

1982 - The Constitution commemorative coin
This design features the famous painting of the Fathers of Confederation along with the inscriptions "Confederation 1867" and "Constitution 1982."

1984 - Jacques Cartier on the Gaspé
Hector Greville's design of Jacques Cartier and a cross with the French coat of arms commemorates the 450th anniversary of the explorer's landing on the Gaspé Peninsula.

1987 - 1991, 1993 - present - The Loon coin
The 1-dollar bill was replaced in 1987 by a new eleven-sided circulation coin nicknamed the 'Loonie'. Ralph-Robert Carmichael's popular design features a Canadian loon, and is made of aureate bronze.

1992 - The 125th Anniversary of Confederation
Rita Swanson's design features three children with a Canadian flag on Parliament Hill in commemoration of Canada's 125th birthday. Note the clock on the Peace Tower reads 1:25.

1994 - The National War Memorial coin
A representation of the National War Memorial in Ottawa honours the contribution and sacrifice made by Canadian soldiers in both World Wars and the Korean War.


2004 - Lucky Loonie
The 2004 Lucky Loonie features the Common Loon design accompanied by the Canadian Olympic logo.

2005 - Terry Fox
The Terry Fox coin commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Marathon of Hope. This coin was designed by Stan Witten

2006 - Lucky Loonie
This coin, which features the familiar loon in flight along with the official emblem of the Canadian Olympic Team, serves as a good luck charm for Canadian athletes competing at the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

2008 - Lucky Loonie
The 2008 Lucky Loonie features a common Loon getting ready to take flight with the Canadian Olympic Team's logo at its side. The Mint has provided each member of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams competing in Beijing with a Lucky Loonie as their own personal good luck charm.









REF [1] wikipedia.org - Canadian dollar
REF [2] mint.ca - Striking in its solitude