The Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND) show and sale, conducted Jan. 25 and 26 by Jeffrey Hoare Auctions in Hamilton, Ont., was a hit with strong sales and a few surprises.
“Overall it went very well,” Wendy Hoare said. “I was pleased with the bidding and it was also well attended.”
The sale was held in two sessions at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel. The first session featured numismatic items, while the second session was for militaria items. The coin section did well with most lots coming close to pre-sale estimates. Prices realized mentioned in this article are hammer-prices, and do not include any premiums or taxes.
Lot 73, a Massachusetts silver pine tree shilling, 1652, Noe-16, described as VF with light scratches on obverse, and some light pitting and corrosion sold for $2,200, slightly above the estimate of $2,000. The sale also included two lots of the key date 1948 silver dollar. One, lot 224, was AU-50, bright with hairlines and estimated at $1,100. It sold for $1,000. The second example, lot 225, was graded ICCS MS-63 and estimated at $2,300, and sold for $1,950.
Lot 297 featured three items from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, consisting of a participant’s medal, uniface plaque, and lapel pin. The lot was estimated at $250 and sold for $420. A rarely-seen offering appeared as lot 136. The 1990 set of four platinum polar bear coins designed by famed Canadian artist Robert Bateman, had face values of $300, $150, $75, and $30. The coins were originally sold as a set for $1,990. The hammer price was $2,500 compared to a pre-sale estimate of $2,800. The modern coins almost never appear in auction.
The militaria section consisted of more than 700 lots of medals, orders, decorations, badges, firearms and uniforms. As is often the case with Hoare sales, the medals section consisted of a number of groups. Lot 2097 was a family pair of groups awarded to Lt. Col. Arthur T.H. Williams, and his son Maj-Gen. Victor A.S. Williams.
Arthur Williams was the descendant of a Royal Navy officer who had served in Canada during the War of 1812 and settled in this country thereafter. He was the commanding officer of the Durham Regiment of Militia. During the Northwest Rebellion he commanded the Midland Battalion in 1885 at the Battle of Batoche where he led the Canadian charge. At that time the son was a cadet at the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada in Kingston, Ont. The medals include a letter written from father to son. The elder Williams collapsed several months after the battle, and died while on campaign.
Victor Williams later left the RMC and was commissioned as an inspector in the North West Mounted Police, a precursor of the RCMP. He later resigned to join the Canadian Army and served in the Canadian Mounted Rifles during the Boer War. He assisted in mobilizing the first Canadian contingent during the First World War. He was commandant of Camp Valcartier and then sent to Europe where he served as a staff officer, then a commander of the Eight Canadian Infantry Brigade. He was wounded and captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war. After the war, he was promoted to major-general. After leaving the army Mr. Williams was appointed commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. He died in 1949.
The two groups were sold as one lot, the hammer price was $23,000, well beyond the estimate of $18,000.
Another very rare medal available at the auction was lot 2016, a Canadian Cadet Medal of Bravery awarded to Cadet Corp. William Vincent of Newfoundland for saving a young girl from drowning in 1962. The medal was instituted in 1948, but only 19 have been awarded. It was estimated at $2,000 but sold for $3,000.
Lot 2525 was a 39th Norfolk Rifles metal shoulder belt estimated at $500 which sold for $750. The sale also included a variety of CEF badges and contemporary cloth badges and buttons. Several uniform items were also available. Among the them was lot 2668, a First World War tunic and items belonging to Cpl. Arsene Bellanger, MM, of the famed 22nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, the Vandoos. Among the items was a German Imperial waist belt apparently worn by Bellanger as a trophy. With the 100th anniversary of the First World War looming, the lot sold for $1,600, very near the estimate of $1,750.
A full set of prices realized are available at www.jeffreyhoare.on.ca.