"Toonie" is the unofficial name for Canada's two-dollar coin; it is a portmanteau word combining the number "two" with the name of the loonie, Canada's one-dollar coin. In Canadian French it is known as a polar.

Introduced in 1996, the toonie is a bi-metallic coin which bears an image of a polar bear, by Campbellford, Ontario artist Brent Townsend , on the reverse. The obverse, like all other Canadian coins, has a portrait of the Queen. Spelling is far from standardized, and "twonie" is still not uncommon.

When the coin was introduced a number of nicknames were suggested. Runners up included the 'bearly', the 'deuce' and the 'doubloonie'. A joke refers to the coin as 'The Queen with the Bear Behind', and thus the 'moonie'. Another joke poked fun at the then-poor Canadian dollar to American dollar exchange rate by suggesting that the coin be called 'an American dollar'.

Despite the name being unofficial, the Government of Canada uses "toonie" in its Newcomer's Guide.

See also

• Canadian English

External links

• Past and present designs of reverse side
• Past and present technical specifications
• Past and present mintages