Royal Canadian Mint : 50th Anniversary of CN Tower

Royal Canadian Mint

31/03/2026

Royal Canadian Mint team consisting of members from our engraving, product development, communications, engineering, operations and marketing teams.

3 Million total units were produced. 2 Million featured colour (glow in the dark technology) and 1 Million were not colour decorated

The 50th Anniversary of the CN Tower circulation coin combines advanced minting technology, compelling visual storytelling, and a nationally significant milestone into a commemorative coin that celebrates one of Canada’s most enduring symbols of engineering excellence and innovation. Through its glow-in-the-dark feature, the coin transforms from a depiction of a landmark into an experience that reflects the energy, vibrancy, and ingenuity the CN Tower has represented for fifty years.

Designed by Canadian illustrator Carl Wiens, this commemorative $2 coin celebrates the 50th anniversary of the official opening of Canada’s iconic CN Tower on June 26, 1976.

The reverse design captures both the history and evolution of one of Canada’s most recognized skylines around one of its most imposing landmarks. The coin’s inner core features the CN Tower overlooking Lake Ontario and rising above Toronto’s modern skyline, while the overlaid outlines of the city’s 1976 and 2026 skylines reflect the city’s remarkable transformation over the last five decades.

The colourized version incorporates photo-luminescent technology that reveals an illuminated nighttime cityscape when activated by light. The glowing skyline conveys the energy and vibrance Toronto is known for and reflects the way the CN Tower has become the city’s landscape’s most prominent beacon, often illuminated to commemorate important national and international events.

The obverse features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Canadian artist Steven Rosati.

A total of three million coins were issued, including two million colourized glow-in-the-dark versions and one million non-colour versions featuring intricate engraving details that highlight the design’s depth and craftsmanship.

The Royal Canadian Mint continues to push the boundaries of circulating coin technology through the release of its second-ever glow-in-the-dark commemorative circulation coin.

Produced at the Mint’s Winnipeg facility using its world-leading pad-printing capabilities, the colourized version combines advanced photo-luminescent technology with traditional circulating coin features. The result is a durable, high-volume circulation coin that delivers a dynamic visual experience not typically associated with everyday currency.

This innovation is particularly poignant because the technology directly supports the coin’s story. The glow-in-the-dark feature transforms the coin from a daytime view of Toronto into an illuminated nighttime scene, mirroring how the CN Tower serves as a unique architectural landmark day and night.

Rather than functioning as a decorative enhancement, the technology is an integral storytelling element that deepens the connection between the coin and the landmark for the millions of Canadians, and people around the world, who recognize the iconic structure.

The non-colour version complements this innovation through highly detailed engraving that creates visual depth and layering, showcasing the Mint’s technical expertise and ensuring that both versions provide a compelling experience for collectors and circulation users alike.

Every element of the coin’s design was selected to elaborate an artistic approach revealing components of a rich story celebrating fifty years of Canadian engineering achievement and innovation.

The integration of technology, artistry, and storytelling creates a unique circulating commemorative coin that remains both visually engaging and culturally meaningful.

For fifty years, the CN Tower has stood as one of Canada’s most recognizable and innovative engineering and architectural achievements, and a monumental feat of construction.

Originally conceived during the 1960s to address communications challenges created by Toronto’s rapidly growing skyline, the project evolved into one of the most ambitious engineering undertakings in Canadian history. More than 1,500 workers contributed to its construction, completing the structure in just two years and ultimately creating what became, at the time, the world’s tallest free-standing structure.

The tower quickly became more than a telecommunications solution—it became a symbol of Canadian ingenuity, ambition, and technical achievement. Over the last five decades, it has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world while serving as a defining feature of Toronto’s skyline and a recognizable symbol of Canada internationally.

The coin commemorates not only the 50th anniversary of the tower’s opening, but also the vision, innovation, and collaboration that made the project possible. By incorporating glow-in-the-dark technology and visual representations of Toronto’s growth from 1976 to 2026, the design connects the tower’s historic significance with its enduring relevance in modern Canada.

This circulating commemorative coin ensures that millions of Canadians can engage directly with the story of the CN Tower through an object that passes through their hands every day, making it an accessible and meaningful celebration of one of Canada’s greatest engineering achievements.