2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie
The 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie is a circulating loonie with 5 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2016
- Circulation mintage
- 5,000,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Designer
- Derek Wicks
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie worth?
5 million were made, so the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie is easy to find. A circulated one is worth face value; collectors pay a little more only for uncirculated coins.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition
- Specimen or proof finish from a Mint set
- Colored versions sold in collector packs
- A genuine mint error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie rare?
- No. 5 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie coins were made?
- 5,000,000 were struck for circulation.
- Who designed the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie?
- The design is credited to Derek Wicks.
- What is the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie made of?
- Multi-ply plated steel. It weighs 6.27 g and measures 26.5 mm, with an 11-sided shape.
- Is the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie still legal tender?
- Yes. Every loonie, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Canada.
Why the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie was made
Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics and the Royal Canadian Mint issued the seventh lucky loonie for the Games. Released into circulation like the earlier coins, it continued a tradition that started with the coin buried under the ice at Salt Lake City in 2002. Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak won four medals in Rio, including gold, at just 16, one of the standout stories of the Games for Canada. Rio was the first South American city to host the Olympics.
This is also the final lucky loonie issued for circulation. The series ran from 2004 to 2016, covering seven Games in all and the Rio coin closes the run. With 5,000,000 struck, it matches the London coin's mintage and sits well below the big runs of 2006 to 2010. If you are completing a set of lucky loonies, the 2016 is the last slot. It also has a fresh design rather than a reworking of the 2012 and 2014 artwork, which makes it a satisfying coin to end a collection on.
How to recognize it
Derek Wicks designed the reverse, which shows a common loon on the water poised for take-off, with an arched body and outstretched wings, set against a stylized maple leaf. The sense of motion gives this coin a different feel from the 2012 and 2014 designs, where the loon spreads its wings in a calmer pose. To confirm a Rio coin, check for the stylized leaf behind the bird and the date 2016. Flip it and you'll see Susanna Blunt's portrait of the Queen. The loon's head and wing tips wear first. The leaf sits behind the bird rather than beside it, which helps separate this coin from the others.
2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie by the numbers
In mintage terms the 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie ranks 8th lowest of 19 circulating loonies with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 2016 Women's Right to Vote Loonie (5 million); the next more common is the 2017 Toronto Maple Leafs Loonie (5.15 million).
For scale, the most common is the 1992 Confederation 125 Loonie with 23 million, about 4.6 times as many. The scarcest is the 2019 Equality Loonie with 3 million, 1.7 times fewer than this one.
It was released in 2016 alongside 1 other circulating loonie design: the Women's Right to Vote (5 million). The 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie was the scarcest of the year.
What to check on your 2016 Lucky Loonie Loonie
- Confirm the design and date: the Lucky Loonie reverse dated 2016. The 11-sided shape and gold color make a loonie easy to tell from other coins.
- Check whether it has added color. Colored versions come from collector packs, not from change. Keep them in their packaging.
- Look for even plating. Worn spots that show a different metal underneath are normal wear, not an error.
- Specimen and proof loonies from Mint sets have mirror or satin finishes that circulation coins never have.
At 5,000,000 the Rio lucky loonie is a moderate mintage coin and circulated pieces are face value. As the last coin of the series, it gets a little extra attention from people finishing sets, so a clean uncirculated example can carry a small premium. If yours shows added color or came in a card or sealed holder, it came from a collector product rather than change. Look at the wing tips and the edge of the leaf for rubbing to judge condition before setting it aside.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dollar |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 2016 |
| Circulation mintage | 5,000,000 |
| Composition | Multi-ply plated steel |
| Weight | 6.27 g |
| Diameter | 26.5 mm |
| Shape | 11-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Derek Wicks |
Other 2016 loonies
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Women's Right to Vote Loonie | 5,000,000 | Face value |
Frequently asked questions
Is 2016 the last lucky loonie?
Yes, the 2016 Rio coin is the seventh and final lucky loonie issued for circulation. The series began with the 2004 Athens coin and marked each Olympic Games through 2016.
What does the 2016 lucky loonie show?
Derek Wicks designed a common loon on the water poised for take-off, with an arched body and outstretched wings, set against a stylized maple leaf. It was issued for the Rio Olympics.
Mintage figures: Loonie (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.