canada glow in the dark coin

Canada just got an otherworldly $50 coin that glows in the dark

Canada just got an out-of-this-world new coin, but it will cost you a pretty penny to add it to your collection.

The Royal Canadian Mint has released a $50 pure silver coin with a unique black light effect.

Called "Pingualuit Crater: Crystal Eye of Nunavik," the tails side depicts the "lunar-esque landscape" of the Ungava Peninsula in Nunavik, Quebec.

There, the geological marvel Pingualuit Crater Lake was created when a meteorite struck the Earth about 1.4 million years ago.

The design

You essentially get two designs for one due to the black light effect.

In normal light, the colourful 99.99 per cent pure silver coin shows a bird's eye view of the crater lake from space.

When you put it under a black light, you'll travel back in time to mere moments before the meteorite slammed into prehistoric Canada.

canada glow in the dark coin

The face of the coin changes under black light. Image from Canadian Coin & Currency/Royal Canadian Mint.

The moon, shooting stars and the Milky Way are also depicted in the design, and they all glow under black light.

The coin was designed by Canadian artist Neil Hamelin.

"It was an incredible amount of fun designing this coin and telling the story of pre and post impact of the Pingauluit Crater," he said in a statement. "I hope this coin will have a similar impact!"

How can you collect this coin?

Unfortunately, this is not a circulation coin, so you will have to pay quite a bit to collect it.

It costs $649.95 and can be ordered on the mint's site.

It has a very low mintage of just 2,500 coins available to collectors worldwide, so grab it fast!

Don't have $600 lying around? No problem.

There are plenty of new circulation coins that were released this year that you could spot in your change, which you can find here.

Lead photo by

Sevenstock Studio/Shutterstock


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

The former landmark HMV store on Yonge St. is getting a new tenant

Canadian Dental Care Plan expands to cover more services

Ontario drivers are so bad at using one road feature that police keep having to explain it

Abandoned century-old bridge in Toronto is finally being demolished

Several people injured in high-speed TTC crash overnight

Toronto neighbours build ghostly marriage proposal for Halloween

Upcoming job fairs where you can look for work in Toronto

Multiple Canadian companies just ranked among the world's best employers for women