Mint honouring Indigenous artist with commemorative Toonie

A new Toonie released Thursday pays homage to famed Indigenous artist Daphne Odjig.

The Royal Canadian Mint is honouring a groundbreaking Indigenous artist with a $2 commemorative circulation coin.

On Thursday, the Mint unveiled a coin celebrating the work of Daphne Odjig—a Canadian artist who’s considered a leader in getting Indigenous art into major galleries around the world.

The coin, which features Odjig’s name, includes adaptations of two of her most prominent works, “Folk Singer” and “The Indian in Transition.”

Marie Lemay, president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, said it’s a privilege to be able to tell Canada’s story on these coins, adding that Odjig is part of the fabric of the country.

“She is one of a kind,” she said. “She has been such a great artist but also an absolute trailblazer and has really (led) the way for artists—Indigenous artists, but also other artists.”

The commemorative toonie will be limited to a mintage of three million coins, two million of which will be in colour. It will begin circulation on Thursday and will make it into the pockets of Canadians as bank branches and businesses replenish their inventories of $2 coins.