Canadian One Dollar Reverse Designs and Coin Specifications
Reverse Designs
|
Striking in its solitude, the 1-dollar coin, familiarly known as the 'loonie'
The 1-dollar circulation coin was introduced in 1987 as a cost-saving measure to replace dollar bills. The coin was instantly dubbed the 'loonie' after
the solitary loon that graces the coin's reverse side.
The nickname caught on and Canadians have been using it ever since. The loon design was created by noted wildlife artist Robert-Ralph Carmichael. The illustration has been modified only slightly over the years. This page shows the major die designs since Canadian one dollar coins were introduced in 1987. It does NOT cover "die blunders", where dies were re-punched with different years (and the previous number is visible below the current number), or where cracks appeared in the dies causing unwanted lines to appear in the coin. It also does not cover date doubling. This page only discusses one dollar coins issued for circulation since 1987. It does not include coins which were created exclusively for the collector market (there are a GREAT number of them). NOTE: Click on any photo to load a much larger version of the same photo |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Loon $1 coin The 1-dollar bill and the nickel 1 dollar coin were 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. |
|
The 125th Anniversary of Confederation Ralph-Robert Carmichael's popular design was modified slightly to include the dates "1867-1992" to celebrate the 125th anniversary Canada's Confederation. |
|
The 125th Anniversary of Confederation A second coin was designed in 1992 utilizing Rita Swanson's design featuring 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. |
|
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 designed by the staff at the Royal Canadian Mint. |
|
The Peacekeeping coin Designed by J. K. Harman, R. G. Enriquez, C. H. Oberlander and Susan Taylor, this coin commemorates the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, and pays tribute to the Canadians who have served as UN peacekeepers. It features an image of the Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa. |
|
Lucky Loonie For the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens Greece, the 2004 Lucky Loonie (designed by R. R. Carmichael and Terrence Smith) features the Common Loon design accompanied by the Canadian Olympic logo. It was created in response to the legend that the ice maker at the hockey arena in Salt Lake City embedded a Loonie at centre ice prior to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City to bring good luck to Canada's gold medal-winning men's and women's hockey teams. In 2004, the Royal Canadian Mint created the first Lucky Loonie as a way of passing on its special magic to Canadian athletes as they departed for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. |
|
Terry Fox Designed by Stan Witten, the Terry Fox coin commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Marathon of Hope. |
|
Lucky Loonie For the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino Italy, this coin (designed by Jean-Luc Grondin) features the familiar loon in flight along with the official emblem of the Canadian Olympic Team. It served as a good luck charm for Canadian athletes competing at the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. |
|
Lucky Loonie For the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing China, the 2008 Lucky Loonie (designed by Jean-Luc Grondin) features a common Loon getting ready to take flight with the Canadian Olympic Team's logo at its side. The Royal Canadian Mint provided each member of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams competing in Beijing with a Lucky Loonie as their own personal good luck charm. |
|
100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens Designed by the RCM staff, this coin celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. The Loon has been replaced with a stylized "100" and the "CH" logo bracketed by 1909 2009. Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team and the only continuously operating club to predate the founding of the NHL. |
|
Olympic Inukshuk
Designed by the RCM staff, this coin celebrates the fact that Vancouver BC was the host city of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and continues the tradition
of issuing "Lucky Loonies" during years of either Summer or Winter Olympic games.
|
|
100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy Designed by Bonnie Ross and the RCM staff, this coin celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy. In 2010 Canada issued in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy a special dollar coin. The coin depicts an serviceman with the 1910 uniform and a female officer with a modern day uniform, to represent the men and women in the Naval service. The ship represented is HMCS Halifax, the lead ship in the Navy's current fleet. The fouled anchor is part of the centennial identifier image in use to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Navy. |
|
Saskatchewan Roughriders Centennial
Designed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders football club and the RCM staff, this coin celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Saskatchewan Roughriders football club. The coin is engraved with the Roughriders' logo and a stylized '100' framed by the years '1910' and '2010' |
|
Parks Canada Centennial
The Dominion Parks Branch (known today as Parks Canada) was founded in 1911, and mandated to conserve Canada`s unrivalled wilderness for Canadians to explore
and enjoy. Designed by Nolin BBDO Montreal, the reverse design of this coin features stylized land, air and aquatic fauna, varieties of flora, as well as a symbolic park building and the silhouette of a hiker framed by a snow-capped mountain range. It is also dated "1911-2011". |
|
New Security Features added In hopes of eliminating the counterfeiting of Canadian coins, the Mint added new security features to their one and two dollar coins in 2012 While the new one-dollar circulation coin maintains the traditional "Loon" design, there are a few visible changes: - A single laser mark of a maple leaf positioned within a circle on the coin's reverse above the Loon. This laser mark is produced during the striking of the coins using a contrasting pattern micro-engraved on the coin die itself. - The date has been moved to the reverse of the coin. - The Loon has been moved lower on the obverse to fill the space left when the date was moved. Note that these changes were made after production began, so both new and old versions of the 2012 dollar exist. |
|
For the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London UK, the 2012 Lucky Loonie circulation coin (designed by Emily Damstra) features the iconic loon as it spreads its majestic wings while sitting on rippling
Canadian lake waters. The coin also features the Canadian Olympic Team logo, in celebration and support of Canada's athletes as they compete in London this summer.
|
|
100th Grey Cup To celebrate the 100th Grey Cup the RCM staff designed a coin which features the Grey Cup with "100th Grey Cup" in English and French. |
|
For the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, Emily Damstra's 2012 Lucky Loonie design was re-visited. It features a common loon with its wings spread and floating on a lake, the Canadian Olympic Team logo, and laser etched maple leaf. |
|
For the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio De Janiero Brazil, the 7th Lucky Loonie issue (designed by Canadian artist Derek Wicks) features a common loon on the water,
its arched body and outstretched wings poised for take-off. Above the main feature is a stylized maple leaf in the background, as well as the laser etched maple leaf security feature. Below the main feature you will see the Canadian Olympic logo, and for the first time on a Lucky Loonie the Paralympic Olympics logo was included. |
|
Women's Suffrage In 1916, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan granted women the right to vote in provincial elections. Universal suffrage came later, but the history-changing shift in the provinces paved the way for a larger societal shift. Designed by Canadian artist Laurie McGaw, this circulation coin depicts a woman proudly casting a ballot while her young daughter looks on. |
|
While the standard Loon design was used for the classic 1 dollar coin (only produced for the "Classic Canadian Coin Set"), a special series of circulation coins
were produced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation. The Sesquicentennial 1 dollar coin - "Connecting a Nation" To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, a design contest was held among all ordinary citizens. The one dollar coin was designed by Wesley Klassen from St. Catharines, Ontario. This unique design features impressive landmarks along the country's rail routes - from the Lion's Gate Bridge in British Columbia to the Grand Banks of the East Coast. |
|
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, a special 1 dollar coin was produced. The design by Canadian artist Steven Rosati features two crossed hockey sticks above the Leafs' current maple leaf logo; the vintage stick to the left honouring the team's storied past while the stick to the right represents the modern game. The security feature is positioned between the two sticks like a hockey puck, and the Leafs' current logo shines below them. It's flanked by the years "1917" and "2017" while a ring of 100 dots around the rim represent the team's centennial. The coin's denomination is engraved in a semi-circle at the top of the coin with a puck positioned between the words "Canada" and "Dollar." |
|
The 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada. Over the last five decades, Canada has made significant strides in becoming a more inclusive society, guided by a belief in diversity, equality for all and the right to live free from discrimination, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. The maple leaf security feature is positioned over hopeful rays of light, while the bilingual words "EQUALITY" and "EGALITE" are engraved on two curved bands. The reverse includes the word "CANADA", the double dates "1969" and "2019" to mark the 50 years since the process of decriminalizing homosexuality in Canada began, and the "DOLLAR" face value. |
|
The 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. On the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN), Canada's 2020 $1 circulation coin celebrates our nation's role as a Founding Member and a contributor to world peace. The reverse design by Joel Kimmel is double dated ("1945-2020") to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and its Charter ("UN CHARTER CHARTRE DE L'ONU"). In a nod to the UN logo, a world map within an olive branch wreath is paired with a maple leaf to symbolize Canada's commitment to the UN and its values. In the coloured $1 coin, the maple leaf is clad in red while the olive branches are clad in blue. Both versions include a laser mark of a single maple leaf inscribed in a circle on the reverse. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. |
|
The 125th anniversary of the founding of Klondike Gold Rush. On August 16, 1896, four people made a gold discovery that captured the world's attention. Their find triggered the Klondike Gold Rush and brought an influx of gold rushers, forever changing the land, its people and their traditional ways of living, in a manner that continues to be felt today. Designed by Canadian artist Jori van der Linde, the $1 coin's reverse features the artist's rendition of the gold discovery that set off the Klondike Gold Rush. Under the shining sun, Keish ("Skookum" Jim Mason), Shaaw Tlaa (Kate Carmack), Kaa Goox (Dawson Charlie), all of whom were of Lingit and Tagish descent, and George Carmack can be seen panning for gold at the edge of Gah Dek (Rabbit Creek/Bonanza Creek). Both versions include a laser mark of a single maple leaf inscribed inside a representation of the sun on the reverse. A powerful symbol of cultural revitalization, the pictorial symbol for Edha Dadhecha (Moosehide Slide) is highlighted in red and white on selectively coloured coins; it appears on the opposite side of the creek, and represents the Tr'ondek Hwech'in and their deep, abiding connection to the land. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt. The photo below shows Edha Dadhecha (Moosehide Slide) as it looks today: 
|
|
The Life and Music of Legendary Canadian Pianist Oscar Peterson. The 2022 "Celebrating Oscar Peterson" commemorative one-dollar coin reflects the pride Canadians feel for the legendary pianist whose love of music was evident in every performance. These colourful coins form a lasting tribute to Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) and his music. Designed by Canadian artist Valentine De Landro, the reverse celebrates the life and legacy of Oscar Peterson, one of the greatest pianists of all time. It features a depiction of the musician seated at his piano, playing his powerful civil rights anthem "Hymn to Freedom" (written by Oscar Peterson - Tomi Music Company (SOCAN)/ Sony Music Publishing Canada (SOCAN)), while musical notes and chord symbols from that piece also appear in the design. On the $1 coin with selective colour, Peterson's favourite colour (purple) conveys the joy and love of music that were evident every time he played. Both versions include a laser mark of a single maple leaf inscribed inside a circle on the reverse. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt above the year of issue (2022). |
|
The 175th Anniversary of the birth of Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell's legacy of innovation encompasses so much more than the telephone. Problem solving and critical thinking are key to many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields and Bell dedicated his life to solving challenges, whether it was sound transmission or aeronautics. Even in his later years, Bell remained committed to scientific exploration and discovery, and he continued to do innovative work in various fields - including aviation, which was his main interest in the 1890s and early 1900s. His Aerial Experiment Association (AEA), which was managed and funded by his wife Mabel, laid the groundwork for the development of aviation in Canada. Designed by Canadian artist Chris Gorey, the coin's reverse commemorates the 175th anniversary ("175 YEARS/ANS") of the birth of Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) by honouring his legacy of innovation. A reproduction of Bell's signature is paired with a portrait of the inventor in his later years, when much of his scientific work was done at his estate in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. Those experiments are represented by schematic illustrations of the Silver Dart - the aircraft that achieved the first controlled, powered flight in Canada, and the record-setting HD-4 hydrofoil; both crafts made history on Bras d'Or Lake, represented by the waves that are highlighted in blue on the colourized coin. Both versions include a laser mark of a single maple leaf inscribed inside a circle on the reverse. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt above the year of issue (2022). NOTE: Personality rights of ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL and usage rights for his signature, the Silver Dart and HD-4 Hydrofoil are used on these coins with the permission of The Alexander and Mabel Bell Legacy Foundation. |
|
Tribute to Elsie MacGill Elizabeth "Elsie" MacGill (1905-1980) was a person of brilliant mind and unconquerable spirit who excelled in aeronautical engineering and elevated others by championing women's rights. A 1942 issue of True Comics dubbed her "Queen of the Hurricanes." As Chief Aeronautical Engineer, Elsie MacGill supervised the engineering work for the Canadian production of more than 1,450 Hawker Hurricanes for the Allied war effort - she even designed a winterized version. Already Canada's first practising professional woman engineer, Elsie MacGill became the first woman in North America (and possibly the world) to earn a master's degree in aeronautical engineering. That same year (1929), she contracted polio and was told she would never walk again, but she defied expectations by learning to walk with the support of canes. Designed by artist Claire Watson, the $1 coin's reverse features a portrait of Elsie MacGill (1905-1980), an aeronautical pathbreaker and champion of women's rights, indicated by the lapel pin she wears representing her tenures as provincial (Ontario) and national presidents of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs. The sky backdrop highlights some of MacGill's historic engineering achievements, including the Maple Leaf Trainer II (top) - the first aircraft to be produced and designed by a woman and her key role in the wartime production of Hawker Hurricanes, which is highlighted on the colourized coin. The obverse features the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt below the year of issue (2023). The obverse also bears a special marking below the effigy that includes four pearls symbolizing the four effigies that have graced Canadian coins and the double date of her reign. |
|
150th Anniversary of the birth of Lucy Maude Montgomery Lucy Maude Montgomery (1874-1942), one of Canada's most enduringly popular authors, has influenced culture and literature internationally. Publishing hundreds of short stories and poems in addition to 20 novels, she achieved lasting fame through the creation of one of the world's unforgettable characters: a plucky, talkative orphan girl with red braids, big feelings and imagination, and the same deep love for Prince Edward Island as her creator. The 2024 $1 commemorative circulation coin pays tribute to this Canadian literary icon whose writing is treasured by millions worldwide. On the 150th anniversary of her birth, the creator of Anne of Green Gables is the first author to be featured on a Canadian circulation coin, and, fittingly, its design celebrates her creativity. The reverse offers a colourful view of the Prince Edward Island landscape that inspired so many of Montgomery's stories, and through her, the world. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati above the year of issue (2024). |
|
150th Anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada In honour of the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada, the new $1 circulation coin serves as a shining tribute to its unwavering dedication to the rule of law, and its service to Canadians - past, present, and future. Designed by Kingston, Ontario-based artist Silvia Pecota, the reverse design of the coin features one of Canada's most important institutions: the Supreme Court of Canada, with its building, adorned with the Court's 150th commemoration logo in the foreground. The Supreme Court of Canada's 150th commemorative logo is derived from the Court's historic badge known as the Cormier Emblem which, like the Supreme Court of Canada building itself, was created by Montreal architect Ernest Cormier. Here are what the elements of the logo express: Laurels: Signify growth, with new leaves symbolizing the Court's continuous development and expansion into future generations. The nine laurel leaves represent the nine judges of the Supreme Court of Canada. Double dates ("1875 - 2025"): Commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Court's creation. The Supreme Court of Canada was officially established as the highest court in the country when it was enshrined by the Supreme Court Act, 1875. Interwoven "150" numerals: Symbolize the dualities of bijuralism and bilingualism (the Court hears and decides cases from Canada's two legal traditions and in both official languages) that make Canada's top court the only bilingual and bijural apex court in the world. The shapes of the numbers reflect both the Court's crest and its heraldic traditions. The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati above the year of issue (2025). |
|
