Canadian 2-dollar coin · Elizabeth II
1997 Canadian 2 dollars (toonie)
A 1997 Canadian 2-dollar coin contains no silver.
Reported mintage, 1997
16,942,000The Mint records this coin as outer ring 99% nickel, inner core 92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel. There is no melt trade in it and no dealer prices it by weight.
What the Mint says it is made of
| Period | Composition | Weight | Silver | Diameter | Magnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 - 2012 | outer ring 99% nickel, inner core 92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel | 7.3 g | none | 28 mm | not stated |
How many were struck
Reported mintage, 1997
That is the 11th lowest of the 29 years in which the Mint reports striking a 2-dollar coin, in a range running from 1,045,000 to 375,483,000. Mintage is a count of coins made, not of coins that survive: the Mint has no way of knowing how many of these were later returned and melted, and for a silver denomination in the 1960s that number is large.
Portrait on the obverse
Elizabeth II
A new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled in 1990 when she was 64 years old. This was the first to be designed by a Canadian, Dora de Pédery-Hunt, and the coin kept the ELIZABETH II D G REGINA inscription.
The design on the reverse
(1996-1998 and 2001-2003)
The polar bear (1996-1998 and 2001-2003)
When introduced in 1996, the 2-dollar circulation coin showed a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Canadian artist Dora de Pedery-Hunt. This image of Her Majesty appeared on all Canadian circulation coins from 1990 to 2003. The iconic Polar Bear design on the reverse is the work of renowned wildlife artist Brent Townsend.
The rest of your 1997 change
Nobody inherits one denomination. If there is a 1997 2-dollar coin in the tin, these are the other coins carrying that date and whether they hold any silver.
| Denomination | Composition in 1997 | Silver | Mintage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cent penny | 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating | none | 549,868,000 |
| 5 cents nickel | 75% copper, 25% nickel | none | 27,354,000 |
| 10 cents dime | 99.9% nickel | none | 43,126,000 |
| 25 cents quarter | 99.9% nickel | none | 0 |
| 50 cents half dollar | 99% nickel (minimum) | none | 387,000 |
| 1 dollar | 91.5% nickel, 8.5% bronze plating | none | 0 |