11 unique Canadian coins you might have in your change without knowing it
These circulation coins are pretty rare!
Inuit Nunangat toonie. Right: Queen Elizabeth toonie.
There are so many Canadian coins that are rare because of how unique they are.
You could have these coins from the Royal Canadian Mint in your change without even knowing it!
That includes colourful loonies and toonies, coins that feature artwork, and more.
Earlier this year, the Mint told Narcity that commemorative circulation coins are rare and "more exclusive" than classic circulation coins.
More than eight million $2 coins and almost 23 million $1 coins are minted in Canada each year.
But commemorative circulation coins typically have a limited mintage of just three million.
"There is a tendency for the public to collect and keep those coins, which removes a significant percentage from circulation," the Mint said.
That's because of the unique and colourful designs that are different than regular circulation coins.
"It can be safe to say that such coins will circulate less over time," the Mint told Narcity.
These coins could be worth money someday because they're rare!
So, here are a bunch of unique and colourful Canadian coins you might not even know you have in your change.
Queen Elizabeth toonie
This Queen Elizabeth II toonie from 2022 is unique because it's the first circulation coin in Canada to feature a black-nickel-coloured design.
This $2 coin has the classic elements of a toonie: the gold inner core with an engraving of a polar bear on one side and a portrait of Queen Elizabeth on the other.
But the outer ring is black instead of silver.
It's meant to be reminiscent of a mourning armband, a symbol of grief.
Almost five million of these Queen Elizabeth toonies were minted.
National Indigenous Peoples Day toonie
This $2 coin for National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2023 honours the "rich and diverse cultural heritages" of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
The coin features the combined designs of three artists — Megan Currie (English River First Nation), Myrna Pokiak (Inuvialuit Settlement Region) and Jennine Krauchi (Red River Métis) — for the first time.
It has a green inner core with splashes of red, orange, white and black.
The First Nations design features Grandmother Moon, a blossoming flower, forget-me-nots, circles and berries, and butterflies.
The Inuit design features ulu, the midnight sun, ocean waves, an Inukshuk, a delta braid, and tusks.
The Métis design features an infinity symbol that looks like fiddles, the Métis sash, part of a red river cart wheel, a beaded five-petalled flower, and the spirit bead.
It had a limited mintage of three million, including two million coloured versions.
Blue dime
This commemorative 10-cent circulation coin is unique because it's Canada's first-ever coloured dime.
Bluenose, the famous fishing schooner that has been on the 10-cent coin since 1937, was redesigned for the first time in 2021.
The colourful dimes feature a splash of dark blue underneath the boat that's meant to be reminiscent of the North Atlantic waters that Bluenose sailed on.
It had a limited mintage of six million coloured versions and nine million uncoloured versions.
Oscar Peterson loonie
This $1 coin celebrates Oscar Peterson, a Montreal-born pianist and composer.
The loonie features Peterson playing a piano and musical notes from the closing bars of his song "Hymn to Freedom" floating out of the instrument.
"Hymn to Freedom" was Peterson's first major composition, and it became an important song of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
Behind Peterson, the coin has a splash of purple, which was his favourite colour.
This is unique because purple isn't a common colour for commemorative circulation coins in Canada.
In 2022, there was a limited mintage of two million coins with the pop of purple and one million without it.
Bill Reid toonie
This $2 coin honouring Bill Reid (Iljuwas) celebrates his legacy and is unique because it features his original artwork.
The toonie showcases Xuu.ajii, the Haida Grizzly Bear, which is one of Reid's most iconic pieces of art. It starts on the inner core and extends onto the outer ring.
The famous artwork is in red, white and black on the inner core and in silver on the outer ring.
In 2020, there was a limited mintage of three million coins, two million of which feature Xhuwaji in the colours of Haida artistic tradition.
L. M. Montgomery loonie
This $1 circulation coin from 2024 honours Canadian author L. M. Montgomery.
It features a portrait of Montgomery along with her signature, the drawing of a cat she often included in her writings, a portfolio and an inkwell.
There is also a portrait of Anne Shirley, Montgomery's famous character from Anne of Green Gables.
Behind Montgomery and her heroine are patchwork quilt fields in shades of green and orange that represent P.E.I. farmland and a light blue sky.
It had a limited mintage of three million, including two million that feature colour.
Northern lights toonie
This toonie from 2017 celebrates Canada 150, and is called Dance of the Spirits.
It features green northern lights in the dark blue sky above a tree-lined lake where people are canoeing.
The $2 coin is the world's first coloured bimetallic coin and the first circulation coin to feature glow-in-the-dark technology.
Canadian flag quarter
This 25-cent circulation coin from 2015 commemorates the 50th birthday of the Canadian flag.
It features an illustration of the flag blowing in the wind and surrounded by 50 children, each representing one of the flag's 50 years and Canada's future.
The quarter had a limited mintage of 12.5 million, 6.25 million of which feature the Canadian flag in red and white.
Jean Paul Riopelle toonie
This $2 coin from 2023 honours Canadian artist Jean Paul Riopelle, and it's unique because it's literally a piece of art
A portion of Riopelle's L’Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg fresco from 1992 is on the inner core of the toonie.
It features the colours that Riopelle used in his original artwork: orange, brown, blue and white.
Three million of these coins have been minted, two million of which feature the colours of Riopelle's art.
United Nations loonie
This $1 United Nations coin from 2020 is Canada's first-ever coloured loonie.
It commemorates the 75th anniversary of the creation of the intergovernmental organization, which Canada took part in.
The loonie features the UN's olive branch wreath in light blue and Canada's maple leaf in red surrounding a map of the world.
Two million of the blue and red coloured coins and one million uncoloured versions have been minted.
Inuit Nunangat toonie
This $2 Inuit Nunangat circulation coin from 2024 features artwork from four artists, which is a first for Canadian coins.
It combines the designs from four Inuit artists who represent each of the four regions of Inuit Nunangat: Tegan Voisey (Nunatsiavut), Thomassie Mangiok (Nunavik), Charlotte Karetak (Nunavut), and Mary Okheena (Inuvialuit Settlement Region).
The light blue inner core of the toonie features an image of Nuliajuk — the spirit of the sea — wearing an atigi (parka), a walrus, two beluga whales, a seal, and an arctic char.
Then, on the outer ring, there are four artistic interpretations of uluit (knives) and an inscription of "Inuit Nunangat."
It has a limited mintage of three million, including two million with the light blue inner core.