Newfoundland 2-dollar coin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Two dollars

Newfoundland
Value	2.00 NFD
Mass	3.33 g
Diameter	17.98 mm
Edge	Reeded
Composition	91.7% Au, 8.3% Cu
Years of minting	1865, 1870, 1872, 1880–82, 1885, 1888
Obverse
Design	Queen Victoria
Designer	Leonard Charles Wyon
Reverse
Design	Geometric/inscription
Designer	Leonard Charles Wyon

The Newfoundland 2-dollar coin was a special gold coin made in Newfoundland, a part of Canada today. It was created in some years between 1865 and 1888. This coin was unique because it was the only gold coin made for everyday use by a British colony.

Even though not many of these coins were made, people used them a lot in Newfoundland and other parts of eastern Canada. In 1894, these coins became very hard to find. This happened because people started collecting them after Newfoundland's banks and money system had big problems.

Why Newfoundland Had Its Own Money

Before Canada became one country in 1867, different areas like provinces and colonies had their own money. Newfoundland was a British colony for a long time, starting in 1610. It later became a "dominion" (a self-governing area) before joining Canada in 1949.

Because of this, Newfoundland had its own money called the Newfoundland dollar. In 1865, Newfoundland started making new coins using a "decimal system," which means money was based on units of 100 (like cents in a dollar).

At first, they thought about making a gold one-dollar coin. But they worried it would be too small and easy to lose. So, they decided to make a two-dollar gold coin instead.

What the Coin Looked Like

The two-dollar gold coin was about 17.98 millimeters wide. This is almost the same size as a modern Canadian dime.

On the front of the coin, you could see a picture of Queen Victoria. There were a few different pictures of her used over the years. For example, one picture was used in 1865 and 1870, and another in 1882 and 1888.

The back of the coin was interesting because it showed the value in three ways: "2 dollars," "200 cents," and "100 pence." The "100 pence" showed its value in British sterling money.

The Coin's Journey Through Time

The Newfoundland two-dollar coins were made in different years from 1865 to 1888. Not many were made in total. The most coins made in one year was 25,000, which happened in 1882 and 1888. The coins made in 1880 are very rare because only 2,500 were created that year.

Most of these coins were made in London, England, at the Royal Mint. However, the coins from 1882 were made at the Heaton Mint and have a small "H" mark on them.

These gold coins were used a lot, not just in Newfoundland but also in other parts of Eastern Canada. But in 1894, almost all of them "disappeared." This happened when Newfoundland's banks and money system faced a big crisis. People didn't trust paper money anymore, so they started collecting and hiding the gold coins. They also hid the next most valuable silver coins, the 50-cent and 20-cent pieces.

Why This Coin Was Special

The Newfoundland two-dollar coin is important because Newfoundland was the only British colony to make its own gold coins for everyday use. Other British areas, like Canada later on, also used gold coins. For example, in the past, people used gold coins from Portugal, France, America, and Spain.

Canada itself made five-dollar and ten-dollar gold coins between 1912 and 1914. But these were stopped because of World War I. At that time, Canada was a "Dominion," which meant it had more control over its own affairs.

What makes Newfoundland's 2-dollar coin stand out is that it was made by the colony itself, before it had full independence. This shows that Newfoundland, as a "self-governing colony," had the freedom to make its own decisions about things like its money, without needing permission from the British government.

How Many Coins Were Made

Here's a look at how many two-dollar coins were made each year: