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Fruit of the Loon
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2002 is shaping up to be the Year of the Loon thanks to our Royal Canadian Mint. The R.C.M. released three different Loon Commemorative issues this Looner New Year. The so called Loon Dollar, or Loonie, only became a coin by default, when agents of the Mint lost the new dollar coin dies, just prior to changing the Voyageur style dollar in use from 1935 to 1987. The Loon on the Lake format dollar was rushed into service in 1987 so quickly that the Loon style dollar does not even appear in that year's coin type sets. Fifteen years later, the Loon Dollar is well known and widely accepted by Canadians, so that the terms Loon and Loonie are synonymous with Canadian Dollar. In fact, the new Two Dollar Coin is nicknamed the Twonie, or toonie, after the Loon Dollar. Our Mint figures they are onto a good thing here, after their successful Loon commemorative Silver Dollar in 1997, so out comes a flock of Loons for 2002. |
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The eleven sided Lone Loon Dollar in nickel/bronze, or aureate, was designed by R.R. Carmichael and issued in Proof for collectors, and for general circulation, in 1987. In spite of its apparent popularity with the general public, the banks over ordered Loon coins initially, and have had a surplus in their vaults since then. There have been enough Loon Dollars in circulation that the Mint has not produced annual Loon Dollars for circulation on several occasions, including the coin's tenth anniversary year of 1997. |
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However, Jean-Luc Grondin designed a tenth anniversary commemorative Flying Loon Dollar which appears in 1997 Oh Canada and Specimen Coin Sets, and a limited mintage of 25,000 Silver Dollars. Winnipeg W mintmarked and Ottawa non mintmarked Loon Dollars appeared in 1998 and 2000. Commemorative aureate Dollars have also been issued in 1992, 1993, and 1995 to add some spice to the Loon series. |
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Dora De Pedery-Hunt designed the Loon Family 15th Anniversary Nickel/Electroplate Bronze Dollar, a limited mintage of 75,000, which appears only in the 2002 Specimen set, and the Gold Plated Dual Loon Dollar, another limited mintage of 25,000 pieces, found only in a little known Olympic victory commemorative set issued by Canada Post, the Mint, and Maclean's news magazine.
This coin shows a miniature Loon and the initial date of 1987 and the normal sized Loon and current 2002 date to mark the coin's 15th anniversary, even though it is supposed to also be an Olympic commemorative. The subtext is that the Canadian Olympic Gold Medal winning Hockey Teams supposedly benefited from a lucky Loonie buried at Center Ice in the Olympic Arena by a supporter. |
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 The latest entry in the Loon sweepstakes is a Hologram Pure Silver $5 Landing Loon coin, in an issue of 30,000, which appears thus to be an adjunct to the growing Silver Maple Leaf series. Perhaps it is a sign of inflation that a Loon has gone from $1 to $5 in 15 years. There is no Maple Leaf and there are no 15 year commemorative dates on the Hologram Loon coin.
The humble Loon has come a long way in fifteen years. It is certainly time to consider collecting this modern coin series. It remains to be seen how the Flying Loon Silver Dollar takes its place in the pantheon of Canadian Silver Dollars, and whether the Hologram Loon will be collected by Silver Maple Leaf enthusiasts as well. |
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Newsletter 35 |
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