On July 1, 1867 the British provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Canada (which became the provinces of Ontario and Quebec) united to form the new Dominion of Canada, a process known as Canadian Confederation. During the next 150 years America’s neighbor to the north has given the world maple syrup, ice hockey, Jim Carrey and Justin Beiber. Now, in celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial the Royal Canadian Mint has released the world’s first glow-in-the-dark coin into circulation.
The Canadian two-dollar coin, commonly called the toonie, was designed by Timothy Hsia. Titled “Dance of the Spirits,” the coin shows two people paddling in a canoe as the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) night sky dances above them in vivid green and blue. The theme of the coin is “Our Wonders.”
The coin is able to glow in the dark because of a new ink formulation that contains luminescent material. A mint spokesperson told The Guardian newspaper that in addition to the coin being the world’s first glow-in-dark coin in circulation, it is the world’s first colored bimetallic coin.
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Three million of the coins are in circulation with another seven million to be produced, so the chances are good that you might end up with the commemorative coin if you pay a visit to Canada during sesquicentennial celebrations that culminate in Canada Day on July 1 with events across the country, including fireworks in Toronto.
Via The Guardian
