Canadian dollar Canadian dollar The Canadian dollar (symbol: $; code: CAD; ) is the currency of Canada. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or sometimes Can$ or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents (¢). Owing to the image of a loon on the one-dollar coin, the currency is sometimes referred to as the "loonie" by foreign exchange traders and analysts, as it is by Canadians in general, or in French. Accounting for approximately 2% of all global reserves, the Canadian dollar is the fifth most held reserve currency in the world, behind
50-cent piece (Canadian coin) half-dollar coin. Newer vending machines do not generally accept it, even when they accept coins of both higher and lower value, but many older machines that were retooled to accept loonies will misidentify a 50-cent piece as a loonie, thus allowing the value of the coin to be doubled. A largely unsuccessful attempt was made by the Royal Canadian Mint to promote the use of the coin when a special edition was released in 2002 marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the throne. After this failed promotion, the mint stopped distributing 50 cent pieces to