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 | Technical specifications | Mintages

Reverse side designs

The Many Faces of the "Toonie" $2 Circulation Coin

"What's a real Toonie supposed to look like?" That's an excellent question easily answered by this visual guide showing the many faces of the more than 675 million two-dollar circulation coins which have entered circulation since their introduction in 1996.

The design of this bi-metallic coin with the Polar Bear on its reverse, or "tails" side, has evolved as the Royal Canadian Mint continues to use its coins to celebrate Canada's history, culture and values. The same has happened to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's portrait on the obverse, or "heads" side, as her image was updated on all of Canada's circulation coinage in 2003.

Follow this guide to help you better understand and appreciate the diverse features of the "Toonies" circulating today.

The 2010 Two-Dollar Circulation Coin

Reverse (Tails Side)	Obverse (Heads Side)
Composition: Outer ring of 99% nickel and inner core of 92% copper, 6% aluminum and 2% nickel* Weight (g): 7.3 Diameter (mm): 28 Thickness (mm): 1.8 * Applies to all coins from 1996 to present

Features:

• A special locking mechanism allows the outer ring and the core to stay locked together. This mechanism has been developed by the Royal Canadian Mint and is patented. The inner core of the coin can withstand up to 181 kilos of pressure, or about ten times the pressure the average human hand can exert.
• The coin has a unique electromagnetic signal which allows each coin to be accepted to rejected by coin accepting machines such as vending, parking, transit, and coin counting machines.
• The coin is made of pure alloy material and the manufacturing process requires specialized equipment.
• Since 2006, the bottom of the obverse side features the Mint Mark, which consists of an encircled design composed of a stylized maple leaf emerging from the letter M.