Collectors and the public alike will soon be searching their change for a new $2 coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint to mark the 50th anniversary of Toronto’s CN Tower.
Released March 31, the commemorative toonie features a colourized version enhanced with a glow-in-the-dark effect, only the second time the Mint has used this technology on a circulation coin. When activated, the effect reveals the CN Tower and surrounding skyline illuminated at night, adding a distinctive visual element to the design.
A total of three million coins will be issued, including two million colourized pieces and one million non-colourized examples. Both versions will circulate concurrently, with Canadians expected to begin finding them in their change as banks and businesses replenish supplies.
“For half a century, the CN Tower has stood as a world-renowned landmark, instantly recognizable across the globe as a symbol of Canada’s ambition and innovation,” said Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, noting the coin allows Canadians to “carry a piece of that history with them.”
Designed by Canadian illustrator Carl Wiens, the reverse depicts the CN Tower rising above Lake Ontario alongside Toronto’s modern skyline, with a subtle outline of the city as it appeared in 1976 below. The outer ring traces the evolution of Toronto’s skyline over five decades. The obverse features the effigy of King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.
From left, artist Carl Wiens, Royal Canadian Mint interim president and CEO Simon Kamel, Canada Lands Company president Stéphan Déry and chair Kaye Melliship unveil the new $2 circulation coin marking the 50th anniversary of the CN Tower at the tower’s Main Observation Level on March 31, 2026. (RCM Photo)
The CN Tower, completed in 1976 at a height of 553.33 metres, remains Canada’s tallest freestanding structure and one of its most recognizable landmarks. Originally built to address telecommunications challenges created by Toronto’s growing skyline, it quickly became a symbol of Canadian engineering achievement.
“The Royal Canadian Mint has a proud tradition of celebrating Canada’s greatest achievements through coins,” said interim president and CEO Simon Kamel, adding the new issue honours a landmark that has come to define both Toronto and Canada.
Each coin weighs 6.99 grams and measures 28 millimetres in diameter, with a three-ply nickel-plated steel outer ring and a brass-plated aluminum bronze inner core. The colourized version includes selective colour and the photoluminescent feature.
With its combination of a nationally recognized theme and innovative technology, the new $2 coin is expected to generate strong public interest as it enters circulation.