2 Dollars In the name of Elizabeth II, Polar bear

Canada's bimetallic toonie was introduced in 1996, replacing the two-dollar banknote in a cost-cutting move that proved controversial enough to generate genuine public resistance — Canadians had grown attached to the "dancing bears" note it displaced. The coin's outer ring and centre are mechanically interlocked, a design feature that became necessary after early prototypes demonstrated the two components could be separated by a sharp blow, a vulnerability that briefly inspired a minor counterfeiting cottage industry.

The aluminium bronze centre in this 2023 iteration reflects ongoing composition adjustments the Royal Canadian Mint has made incrementally since the mid-2010s to offset rising metal costs.