The
Canadian 2 dollar coin, commonly called
Toonie, was introduced on February 19, 1996 by
Public Works minister
Diane Marleau. 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 current Canadian coins, has a portrait of
Queen Elizabeth II. It has the words "ELIZABETH II /
D.G. REGINA" in a different
typeface from any other Canadian coin; it is also the only coin to consistently bear its issue date on the
obverse.