Canadian Two Dollar Varieties


This page shows the major die varieties since Canadian "2 dollar coins were introduced in 1996. 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 or special coins created for the collector market. All of the coin designs displayed here were manufactured for general circulation as legal tender.

NOTE: Click on any photo to load a much larger version of the same photo
Article Index
 



1996 Reverse "Cigar"


1996 Reverse "Horn"


1996 Reverse "No Ice"


1996 "Beaded Rim"


2000 Obverse "Pedestal D"


2000 Obverse "Pedestal S"


2000 Obverse "Pedestal 0"


2002 Obverse "Dot in H"


2006 Churchill "Pixie" and "Normal" ear


2010 14 and 16 Serrations


2010 No Waterlines


2012 to Date Edge Lettering

When the new security features were added to the two dollar coins in 2012, Edge-lettering of the words "CANADA" and "2 DOLLARS" were engraved along the coin's outer edge.

They are stamped into each coin by a separate press, so there is no way to control which side faces up as each coin enters the press. As a result there are two varieties of each coin.

- With the Type A edge the edge lettering is right side up when the obverse is showing:


- With the Type B edge the edge lettering is right side up when the reverse is showing:


Some 2 dollar coins with edge lettering show signs of dimples in the obverse or reverse above or below the edge letters. The following graphic explains the origin of these "dimples":


2012 HMS Shannon "Extra Sail"


2017 Canada150 "Snow on the Trees"

Note: The popular nickname for this variety is "Snow on the Mountains", but upon close examination the objects along the shoreline are actually trees.

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