My Current Currency, My Changing Change

One of the most exciting aspects, for me, of this whole move is the new money I get to use. This is because I'm a complete nerd. But also because it's just fun to use another country's money after using only one kind of money your whole life. For many reasons, Canadian money is neat. For instance... 1. It's very pretty. Canadian paper money has lots of lovely colors (or colours, if you will) and quite a varied palette. Each denomination has a different color theme and show a Canadian Prime Minister (except for Queen Elizabeth II, who appears on more currency than anyone). But depending on which series there might be a Canadian scene and a prominent quotation on the reverse or another series with native Canadian birds on the reverse like an owl or a loon. And speaking of loons... 2. One and Two Dollar Coins Canada has all the same small denomination coins as the U.S. (penny, nickel, dime, quarter) but they also have two large denomination coins. I love the one and two dollar coins they have here. They are known as the Loonie, for the picture of the Loon on the one dollar and the Twoonie, as a pun on Loonie, respectively. The best part of these coins is that when you paw through your change you may wind up with some of these dollar coins and Blammo! substantially more money than mere nickels and dimes. It doesn't take much to excite me, really. And since there are no one dollar bills... 3. Paper money is always at least five bucks. Have you ever reached into your jeans and found a dollar. Well, in Canada if you reach in your pocket and feel a bill, the LEAST it can be is five dollars. That's eating out money, my friend! 4. You can see Queen Elizabeth age right in front of you. As you can see, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth changes on the money as she gets older. One of the pitfalls of putting a living person on your currency, I suppose. I do know that she formally sits for each official coinage portrait. It's even more obvious on the larger bank notes. I'm sure she's not a fan of this, but it's pretty educational for me. I almost feel bad for her and then I remember she's the QUEEN OF ENGLAND! 5. If you leave a bunch of change as a restaurant tip, you don't look like a cheapskate. 'Nuff said. A CANADIAN FACT! The first currency used in Canada were Spanish dollars. There was no single Canadian national currency until the Uniform Currency Act was passed in 1871.