Newfoundland 2 dollar coin Newfoundland 2 dollar coin The Newfoundland 2 dollar coin was issued in intermittent years between 1865 and 1888. It was the only circulation gold coin issued by a British colony. Although few coins were issued, it was broadly used in Newfoundland and Eastern Canada. The coin became scarce in 1894 because of hoarding following the collapse of Newfoundland's banks and monetary system. Prior to Canadian confederation in 1867, provinces and colonies had separate currencies. Having been a colony from its founding until 1907, and then a dominion prior to joining Canada, Newfoundland had its own currency, the Newfoundland dollar, until
Cook Islands dollar demonetized. In 1987, a smaller, lighter scallop-edged $1 coin with a similar size and shape to the Hong Kong $2 piece. This coin was issued to replace its bulky predecessor. Along with the new dollar, a triangular $2 coin and a dodecagonal (twelve-sided) $5 piece in equal size and shape to the Australian 50-cents coin were introduced, with the new $1 and $2 composed of cupro-nickel and the $5 coin in aluminium bronze. 2003 saw the reintroduction of a 1-cent coin, this time composed of aluminium rather than bronze and slightly smaller and thicker than the 10-cents piece. These were