
The $2 coin, carrying a polar bear, is called by analogy the "toonie" (also spelled "twonie", making the etymology clearer), and has two sections differing in colour.
Unlike several USA attempts to introduce a dollar coin, the new coins were quickly accepted by the public, owing largely to the fact that the mint and government made it a "cold turkey" switch, removing the $1 and $2 bills from circulation.
Beginning in 2001, the Bank of Canada introduced a new series of bills: the $10 was first issued on 17 January 2001; the new $5 on 27 March 2002; and the new $100, $20, and $50 bills during 2004 (in that order).
The new $100 bill was issued on 17 March 2004, the new $20 on 29 September 2004, and the new $50 on 17 November 2004.
Called "Canadian Journey", this series features elements of Canadian heritage and excerpts from Canadian literature.
The $20, $50, and $100 notes introduce watermark security features for the first time on Canadian currency; they also boast significantly expanded holographic security features.
A reprint of the $10 note with all these new security features began circulation in May, 2005.
All notes also include the EURion constellation, on both sides of the bill, thereby preventing it from being copied on most color copiers.
The new bills have a "tactile feature", for the blind, which is a series of raised dots in the upper right corner to indicate denomination.










The Canadian government has occasionally considered the possibility of eliminating the 1¢ coin from circulation, though as of early 2005 no serious discussion has been undertaken about dropping the coin.
Likewise, reports in the wake of the $2 coin's release that Ottawa was considering a $5 coin to replace the bill have yet to be realized. Many people thought such a coin should be called a "finnie" - a
'fin' being a popular name for a $5 bill.
| 1986 ("Birds of Canada") series | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| $2‡ | Terra cotta | Queen Elizabeth II | American robins |
| $5‡ | Blue | Wilfrid Laurier | Belted kingfisher |
| $10‡ | Purple | John A. Macdonald | Osprey |
| $20 | Green | Queen Elizabeth II | Common loon |
| $50 | Red | William Lyon Mackenzie King | Snowy owl |
| $100 | Brown | Robert Borden | Canada goose |
| $1000‡ | Reddish purple | Queen Elizabeth II | Pine grosbeak |
‡ Withdrawn from circulation. Currency withdrawn from circulation is still legal tender. As of early 2005, the 1986-series $5 and $10 bills are still occasionally encountered, but they are rapidly disappearing from regular use. $1,000 bills are no longer printed, but are still used by banks and casinos occasionally.
| 2001 ("Canadian Journey" series) | |||
| Value | Colour | Obverse | Reverse |
| $5 | Blue | Wilfrid Laurier | Children playing hockey and other winter
sports; excerpt from "The Hockey Sweater" by Roch Carrier |
| $10 | Purple | John A. Macdonald | Peacekeeping forces and war memorial;
excerpt from "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae |
| $20 | Green | Queen Elizabeth II | Artwork of Bill Reid; excerpt from
Gabrielle Roy's novel, The Hidden Mountain. |
| $50 | Red | William Lyon Mackenzie King | The Famous Five and Thérèse Casgrain; quotation from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights |
| $100 | Brown | Robert Borden | Maps of Canada, historic and modern; excerpt from Miriam Waddington's poem, "Jacques Cartier in Toronto" |

The new bills are equipped with security features that make it very difficult to counterfeit, according to the Bank of Canada’s press release . A transparent maple leaf and a clear portion on the left side of the bill with holographs that change color in the light are designed to foil counterfeiters attempting to create fake notes.



Portrait: Sir Robert L. Borden, Prime Minister, 1911–20
Signatures: Left – T. Macklem, Right – M.J. Carney
Size: 152.4 x 69.85 mm (6.0 x 2.75 inches)
Issue Date: November 2011
Theme: Medical Innovation - Canadians have long been at the frontiers of medical research and as a result have helped to save millions of lives worldwide. Notable Canadian contributions include pioneering the use of insulin to treat diabetes, DNA and genetic research, the invention of the pacemaker, and the first hospital-to-hospital robot-assisted surgery.
Researcher at a microscope - The image of a researcher using a microscope depicts Canada’s long-standing commitment to medical research.
DNA strand - Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic blueprint of life. Canadian researchers have been at the forefront of mapping our human genetic makeup in this field of medical science.
ECG - This electrocardiogram provides a visual cue to Canada’s contributions to heart health, including the invention of the pacemaker by John Hopps in 1950.
Insulin - The discovery of insulin to treat diabetes was made by Canadian researchers Frederick Banting and Charles Best in 1921.



Portrait: William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime Minister, 1921–30 and 1935–48
Signatures: Left – T. Macklem, Right – M.J. Carney
Size: 152.4 x 69.85 mm (6.0 x 2.75 inches)
Issue date: March 2012
Theme: CCGS Amundsen, Research Icebreaker - The vastness and splendour of Canada’s northern frontier have helped to shape our cultural identity. The icebreaker plays an important role in the North, keeping Canada’s historic passages open, undertaking marine search and rescue, supporting isolated communities, and participating in international environmental research. The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen became a research icebreaker in 2003. It is jointly operated by ArcticNet and the Canadian Coast Guard. It helps Canada - the nation with the world’s longest stretch of Arctic coastline - to remain at the leading edge of Arctic research, providing the world’s oceanographers, geologists and ecologists with unparalleled access to the North.
“Arctic” in Inuktitut - This syllabic text is taken from Inuktitut, a language of Canada’s Inuit population.
Map of Canada’s northern regions - The map on the back of this note shows Canada’s northern regions in their entirety, including Inuit regions of the Arctic. This image was provided by Natural Resources Canada.

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