Counterfeit toonies are circulating in Owen Sound.
Owen Sound Police say a number of phony coins have been located through local businesses and banks within the city.
City Police issued a news release on Thursday to inform citizens “about the prevalence of counterfeit toonies in our community.”
Police say while the phony toonies are extremely similar in size and weight to real ones, there are some things you can look for to identify fakes.
“The polar bear on the fake coin has a distinctive ‘two-toed’ front right paw. On a real coin, the paw is more uniform and some real coins will show individual toes depending on the condition and age of the coin,” Owen Sound Police say in a release. “As well, the bear’s neck and head seem to be longer and more slender on a fake coin and shows a long “skin flap” hanging below the bears throat.”
Police say the fake toonies also have less detail in the Queen’s hair, some have a likeness of a Queen without a crown and the maple leaf at the top of the coin tends to be closer to the perimeter.
Owen Sound Police say the counterfeit coins also tend to have more of a matte finish, while real toonies are more polished or shiny in appearance.
“Over the years, toonies have had numerous differing designs incorporated into their appearance, but the counterfeit versions all seem to be a recreation of the original toonie design with more basic features,” city police say in a statement.
Owen Sound Police say they’ve spoken to banking establishments in the city and informed them of the presence of counterfeit coins.
If you think you have a counterfeit toonie in your possession, police say you should bring it to a bank for assessment.