Happy Birthday Mr. Loonie
July 1, 2007
On June 30, 1987 the loonie first went into circulation. I am sure you all remember where you were that day.
There is an interesting story about the coin which has symbolized Canada as much as the Maple Leaf or a Tim Horton’s coffee. Originally the design for the coin was a voyageur canoe but the master dies used to cast the coin got lost between Ottawa and Winnipeg (where they were to be produced) and fearing counterfeiting the government of Canada went to the back up design which is of course the loon.
So had the original voyageur canoe remained what the heck would we have called the coin?
The loonie was initially reviled and put alongside the GST as one of the great Canadian governmental blunders but 20 years later this coin somehow defines what we are. As Jean Chretien might said “Appy Birday to dat loveable loonie!”
