A New Canadian Loonie Is In Circulation & It's Lowkey Really Nice (PHOTOS)
The new $1 coin will honour Alexander Graham Bell.
Canadian loonies and toonies.
Remember coins, Canada? Well, we're getting a new one. On October 20, the Royal Canadian Mint confirmed that a brand new loonie entered circulation honouring Alexander Graham Bell.
As the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell "transformed the world of communications," the Mint noted, and he is now being remembered on the new one-dollar commemorative coin.
Bell was born in Scotland but later settled with his family in Brantford, Ontario, where he would go on to conceptualize the telephone and pioneer new air and marine crafts.
"By issuing a one-dollar coin in conjunction with the 175th anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell's birth, the Mint is celebrating the spirit of Canadian know-how and innovation behind wondrous home-grown creations," the Royal Canadian Mint said.
The commemorative coin was designed by Canadian artist Christopher Gorey and depicts Bell and two of the inventions he designed: the HD-4 Hydrofoil and the Silver Dart. Bell's signature and the inscription "175 YEARS/ANS" is also engraved on the coin to recognize the anniversary of his birth.
On the flip side, the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Susanna Blunt in 2003 remains in place — which makes this the second coin to go into circulation with the queen's photo following her death on September 8.
According to the Mint, the Alexander Graham Bell circulation coin is "limited to a mintage of three million coins, of which two million feature a colour enhancement."
The coin will reach Canadians pretty soon as banks and businesses replenish their inventories of loonies. The coloured and uncoloured coin is also available for purchase as part of a seven-piece "Collector Keepsake" coin set.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
