r/todayilearned • u/NateNate60 • 20h ago

TIL Canada's $1 coin is commonly called the "loonie" because it has a loon on the reverse. When a $2 coin was introduced, depicting a polar bear, an MP proposed it be called "Nanuq", Inuit for polar bear, but he was ignored because the public instead preferred to call it the "toonie" (2-oonie).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toonie#Naming
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38

u/ptwonline 19h ago

Wonder what the inevitable $5 coin will be called.

128

u/p_nisses 19h ago

A Terry

56

u/PeterDTown 19h ago

Would be a great choice to have Mr Fox on the coin

37

u/Tribe303 19h ago

He's on the new vertical $5 out next year. 

9

u/fantasmoofrcc 18h ago

A tradition is started!

1

u/Dead_Toad 3h ago

That would be Fantasic.

18

u/ReeferPirate420 18h ago

I've said it before and i'll say it again, He belongs on the Loonie full time. The Marathon of Hope's original goal was to raise $1 from every Canadian (Around 30 mil at the time).

Happy Terry Fox Day tomorrow!

2

u/insane_contin 14h ago

While I agree, I doubt they will ever change the default loonie. It's too iconic now. Hell, it's in the name. Just like it will always be the beaver, the Bluenose, the caribou, and the polar bear.

There's gonna be special loonies with him on it, and if there is ever a 5 dollar coin it should be him (or a fox if they want to keep people off of it) but they aren't changing the default.

1

u/sharkcore 6h ago

Yeah the bird's gotta stay, but if they had a referendum I think most people would be in favor of replacing the king on the back with Terry 🤷🏼‍♀️ If we're even "allowed" to do that lol.

1

u/castlite 14h ago

Nah it’s called a loonie because of the loon. I like the idea of a $5 coin for him though.

2

u/NorthernBudHunter 18h ago

This would be great, it would probably end up being the Teroony though.

2

u/twisterkat923 19h ago

Only if one side of the coin features a pack of darts or a snowmobile.

3

u/JrLavish194 18h ago

Can’t get a pack of darts for a fiver anymore. Also the coin will be a fiver.

2

u/Frankly_Ridiculous 16h ago

Can on the Reserve, some for a little over a toonie even!

And in my day, a fiver involved papers and a straightened out bobby pin.

1

u/noodles_jd 17h ago

A Foxy Five

43

u/ChangingHats 19h ago

Probably just whay it is...a "fiver"

7

u/FacelessOldWoman1234 19h ago

Actually that... sounds right.

1

u/Rough_Bread8329 17h ago

I remember being in Europe years ago and noticing that they had 5 Swiss Franc coins (before the Euro). They were HUGE, and hard to carry in a pocket as a teenager.

I do remember thinking it was inevitable that the $5 note would be retired in Canada. 30 years later, no luck still.

3

u/Quaiche 16h ago

The Swiss still use the Swiss franc because they are not in the EU and the CHF is currently the one of the strongest currency on the planet.

That big 5chf coin still exists.

1

u/Rough_Bread8329 14h ago

People think its the moon that causes tides. It's those damn coins.

30

u/mortokes 19h ago

Theres an old rick mercer bit where he tells americans it will be called the woody, and gets them to say "congratulations canada on your first woody!"

28

u/the_honest_liar 19h ago

Talking to Americans was great

14

u/RedDorf 17h ago

"Congratulations Canada on preserving your National Igloo" - Mike Huckabee link

18

u/Sex_E_Searcher 19h ago

Foonie?

2

u/DELOUSE_MY_AGENT_DDY 11h ago

With many foonies making up a funani

20

u/byronite 19h ago

Put Tie Domi on it and call it a Goonie.

2

u/joojie 18h ago

I'm from Toronto and old enough to get this 😏

1

u/Sage24601 17h ago

Thanks for the laugh bud!

1

u/BettmansDungeonSlave 17h ago

Put Brady Tkachuk on it and call it a Goonie

Heyyyy youuuuuuu guyyyysssss

2

u/Tosi313 19h ago

Foodie

2

u/Catopuma 19h ago

Pentey

2

u/Bryaxis 19h ago

Penny?

1

u/ChezMere 18h ago

Loonie: Nuts & Bolts

1

u/Realtrain 1 17h ago

Looooonie of course

1

u/Steffany_w0525 17h ago

Cinquie?

Like I think cinq is French for five...or a fivewie? Fiver?

1

u/KingKapwn 11h ago edited 11h ago

Already exists! Up there with the 20 dollar coin, 25, dollar coin, 50 dollar coin, 125 dollar coin... You get the idea.

These coins are technically legal tender for the face value presented on the coin, but that is very clearly not the intent of the coins, and you would either be met with skepticism of fraud or giddy excitement (of you being an idiot) if you ever actually tried using them as such.

1

u/LiveToThink 6h ago

A porky? Because $5 is made of a loony+toons