OTTAWA – The Royal Canadian Mint is releasing three million of new two-dollar coin, which glows in the dark, to commemorate Canada’s 150th anniversary.
Known colloquially as the “toonie,” the C$2 ($1.50, £1.20) coin is said to be the world’s first glow-in-the-dark coin to enter into circulation.
The winning design, which was chosen from 10,000 entries, depicts boaters looking up at the Northern Lights.
In the daylight, the Northern Lights scene depicted on the coin is brilliantly coloured in blue and green. But when the lights are off, it glows in the dark.
Timothy Hsia, from British Columbia, who designed the coin, says he was inspired by the design contest’s theme, “Our wonders”.
The Royal Canadian Mint makes coins not only for Canadian circulation, but for about 75 countries around the world.
It is also not the first time the mint has gone for a glow-in-the-dark coin – in 2012, Canada created a quarter with a glowing Pachyrhinosaurus Lakustai dinosaur skeleton.
That coin, which was not in general circulation, took home the Krause Publications 2014 Coin of the Year award for “most innovative coin”.
