2019 Equality Loonie
The 2019 Equality Loonie is a circulating loonie with 3 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2019
- Circulation mintage
- 3,000,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Designer
- Joe Average
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 2019 Equality Loonie worth?
3 million were made, so the 2019 Equality 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 2019 Equality Loonie rare?
- No. 3 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 2019 Equality Loonie coins were made?
- 3,000,000 were struck for circulation.
- Who designed the 2019 Equality Loonie?
- The design is credited to Joe Average.
- What is the 2019 Equality Loonie made of?
- Multi-ply plated steel. It weighs 6.27 g and measures 26.5 mm, with an 11-sided shape.
- Is the 2019 Equality Loonie still legal tender?
- Yes. Every loonie, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Canada.
Why the 2019 Equality Loonie was made
In 1969 Canada changed its Criminal Code so that private sexual acts between consenting adults were no longer a crime, a step that partially decriminalized homosexuality. Fifty years later the Royal Canadian Mint issued the Equality loonie to mark the anniversary and to celebrate progress toward equality for LGBTQ2 Canadians. The coin went into circulation in April 2019. The change came under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's government.
It drew wide attention when it appeared, with both praise and criticism and it became one of the most talked about coins in years. Only 3,000,000 were struck for circulation, the lowest published mintage of any commemorative loonie. The design was also issued as a limited edition ten-dollar collector coin in full color, a separate product sold to collectors rather than released into change. If you are checking loonies from that period, this is a coin worth setting aside, since it is the least common commemorative to find in circulation. Some people questioned whether a partial legal change in 1969 was the right date to celebrate, while others welcomed the coin as an overdue recognition.
How to recognize it
Joe Average, a Vancouver artist, designed the reverse. It shows two overlapping human faces within a large circle, with the word equality in both French and English. The style is bold and graphic, unlike most loonies. It is easy to recognize at a glance. To confirm the issue, look for the two faces and the bilingual word, along with the date 2019. The obverse portrait of the Queen is Susanna Blunt's. The circulation coin has no color: a colored version belongs to the ten-dollar collector coin, which is larger and a different denomination. Its graphic look reflects the artist's well known style. It is unlike anything else in the loonie series.
2019 Equality Loonie by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 2019 Equality Loonie is the lowest of 19 circulating loonies with a published mintage. The next more common is the 2010 Saskatchewan Roughriders Loonie (3.1 million).
It was the only circulating commemorative loonie dated 2019.
What to check on your 2019 Equality Loonie
- Confirm the design and date: the Equality reverse dated 2019. 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 3,000,000 struck, the Equality loonie has the lowest published mintage among commemorative loonies. Circulated pieces are still face value, but it is the hardest of the group to find in change, which makes it a common target for people completing sets. Uncirculated examples with clean faces and fields can carry a small premium. A carded or sealed coin was sold to collectors directly, so treat it as a different item from a loose loonie found in a till. Don't confuse the loonie with the ten-dollar coin, which is a separate collector issue.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dollar |
| Issuer | Royal Canadian Mint |
| Year | 2019 |
| Circulation mintage | 3,000,000 |
| Composition | Multi-ply plated steel |
| Weight | 6.27 g |
| Diameter | 26.5 mm |
| Shape | 11-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Joe Average |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 Equality loonie rare?
It has the lowest published mintage of any commemorative loonie at 3,000,000. That makes it harder to find in change, though circulated coins are still face value. Clean uncirculated pieces can carry a small premium.
What does the Equality loonie commemorate?
It marks 50 years since the 1969 Criminal Code change that partially decriminalized homosexuality in Canada. Joe Average designed it and it went into circulation in April 2019. Only 3,000,000 were struck.
Mintage figures: Loonie (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Canadian Mint figures. How we build these pages.