Jean Paul Riopelle $2 Commemorative Coins

Summary#

This is the Order Authorizing the Issue of Two Two-dollar Commemorative Circulation Coins Specifying the Characteristics and Determining the Designs (Jean Paul Riopelle). It lets the Royal Canadian Mint make and release two $2 circulation coins (one coloured version and one without colour) to mark the 100th anniversary of Jean Paul Riopelle’s birth. The order was approved on June 16, 2023, registered June 19, 2023, and published July 5, 2023.

What it does#

• Authorizes the Mint to produce two circulation coins of $2 denomination.
• Both coins share a reverse design based on Panel 29 of L’Hommage à Rosa Luxemburg by Jean Paul Riopelle, with the inscription “RIOPELLE 100”. One version will include colour; the other will not.
• Specifies coin size and markings, including a diameter of 28.03 mm, security marks (two maple-leaf-within-a-maple-leaf symbols), and an edge bearing the inscriptions CANADA and 2 DOLLARS.
• Uses the existing obverse effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, adapted to show the years 1952 and 2022 to mark the period between her reign and the introduction of the new effigy of His Majesty King Charles III.
• Directs the Mint to produce and distribute the coins for general circulation; production costs will be covered by the Mint’s budget.

Who's affected#

• Collectors and members of the public who like commemorative coins will notice these designs.
• Banks and other financial institutions will handle distribution and exchanges of the new coins.
• The Royal Canadian Mint is responsible for design, production and distribution.
• Riopelle’s family, art communities, and cultural organizations were consulted; the Order notes their support.
• No businesses or members of the public are expected to face direct costs because of this Order.

Why it matters#

• The coins honour Jean Paul Riopelle, a major Canadian artist, and aim to raise awareness of his work and Canadian/Québécois culture.
• Because they are commemorative, some people will collect and remove them from circulation, which can make them of interest to collectors.
• The obverse adaptations (years 1952–2022) mark the transitional period between the late Queen’s effigy and the new effigy of His Majesty King Charles III, so the coins also document a brief moment in Canada’s monetary history.
• The Order is largely administrative and does not change how money works in everyday transactions.