A new Canadian loonie has been released that acknowledges 50 years in the struggle towards LGBT equality in Canada.

At an event at LGBT community centre The 519 in Toronto today (April 23), the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled and released a new one-dollar coin "commemorating 50 years of progress in recognizing the rights of LGBTQ2 Canadians".

The coin marks the Canadian government's decriminalization of homosexuality between two consenting people 21 years or older in 1969.

The coin features the work of Vancouver artist Joe Average, who has supported LGBT and HIV communities throughout his career.

On the coin, two intertwined faces are accompanied with the words "Equality Égalité". The two faces reflect gender fluidity and the gender spectrum, which "may belong to two individuals or they may represent different aspects of one's identity", according to a news release.