Newfoundland 2 dollar coin minted in London. Newfoundland's two dollar coin was broadly used not only in Newfoundland, but also in Eastern Canada in general. The supply of the coins "virtually disappeared" in 1894, when Newfoundland's banks and monetary system collapsed. With paper banknotes being distrusted, the gold coins were hoarded, as well as two next-highest Newfoundland denominations, the silver 50-cent and 20-cent pieces. With its two-dollar coin, Newfoundland became the only British colony to issue circulating gold coinage apart from Sydney Mint which issued Australian sovereigns from 1855 onwards. Gold coinage was used in Canada and other British domains. For example, in the
Trade dollar (United States coin) decline and the intrinsic value of the coins fell below one dollar, bullion depositors began having their silver struck as trade dollars and selling them wholesale to be distributed throughout the country. Bullion producers opted to coin their silver into trade dollars because the Coinage Act of 1873 specified that silver brought to the Mint could only be struck as such or cast into bars. Congress considered raising the five-dollar legal tender limit on trade dollars, but instead passed a bill that officially demonetized the trade dollar on July 22, 1876; the Secretary of the Treasury was directed by the