A Landmark Anniversary

The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a glow-in-the-dark $2 circulation coin to mark the 50th anniversary of Toronto’s famous CN Tower. The release took place on March 31 at the iconic observation tower.

“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. More than an engineering marvel, it has become part of who we are, welcoming millions of visitors over the years,” says the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of finance and national revenue. “As we mark its 50th anniversary, this new circulation coin gives Canadians a chance to carry a piece of that history with them.”

Canadian illustrator Carl Wiens designed the coin’s reverse. The inner core features the CN Tower rising above Lake Ontario. Toronto’s modern skyline is in the background, contrasted with the 1976 skyline below. The obverse depicts Steven Rosati’s effigy of King Charles III.

The commemorative glow-in-the-dark coin comes in colorized and uncolored versions, with mintages of 2 million and 1 million, respectively. Additionally, special wrap rolls of 25 coins in both colored and uncolored formats are available for purchase, as well as a special wrap roll set with both versions. 

Other Issues

In addition to the $2 coins, the Royal Canadian Mint released a rectangular collector coin. The fine silver piece depicts the CN Tower with the city of Toronto in the background and the dates 1976 and 2026. The tower glows red when viewed under black light. Also available is a .9999-fine gold piece that features the structure with the outline of a maple leaf in the background, framed by the legend CANADA 1976-2026.

For more information and to purchase, visit the Royal Canadian Mint’s website.

The CN Tower

An iconic part of the Toronto, Ontario, skyline, the CN Tower is a communications and observation tower. In order to improve radio and TV transmission, a dedicated group of Canadian engineers and visionaries developed the tower, with 1,500 workers rotating through 24-hour shifts to complete it. Construction began on February 6, 1973, and was completed two years later on April 2, 1975. Standing at 1,815 feet, the CN Tower held the record for the world’s tallest free-standing structure until 2007, when the Burj Khalifa in Dubai surpassed it. It is currently the 10th tallest free-standing structure in the world and the tallest in the Western Hemisphere.