The Toronto Coin Expo will celebrate 14 years in downtown Toronto when it returns to the Toronto Reference Library Oct. 23-24, bringing together more than 30 dealers, two major numismatic auctions, educational presentations and activities for young collectors.
The semi-annual show will feature Canadian, United States and world coins, banknotes and other numismatic material, with opportunities for visitors to buy, sell and have items evaluated.
Show organizer Jared Stapleton said several new dealers will join the fall bourse, including Winnipeg-based Gatewest Coin Ltd., which rarely attends shows outside its home city. Other newcomers include Randy Cole, Patrick Chiasson and Alban Comeau. Returning dealers will offer collectors an opportunity to search for material that may be difficult to find elsewhere. “Usually very bustling on the bourse floor, especially Fridays, with everyone trying to get the deals,” Stapleton said.
Technology will also be featured, with Chris Marriott, CEO of Halifax-based numiSoft Inc., introducing collectors to numiGO, a digital platform focused on Royal Canadian Mint collector products. The software allows users to research issues, manage collections, obtain market valuations and locate coins offered for sale. Marriott will have two tables at the show and deliver a presentation Saturday at 1 p.m. explaining the platform and demonstrating its features.
Two major auctions will accompany the expo. Alliance Coin & Banknote will conduct its fall auction Thursday, Oct. 22, offering coins, banknotes, medals and tokens with estimates ranging from $10 into the thousands. Details are available at alliancecoin.com. Geoffrey Bell Auctions will hold its Toronto Coin Expo Fall Sale Friday, Oct. 23, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library.
Young collectors will again be a focus Saturday, with a youth seminar and auction beginning at 10:30 a.m. and running for approximately one hour. Stapleton said interest remains strong. “We’ve already had lots of requests for spots at our kids’ events,” he said. The activities have become popular with both young numismatists and their parents, providing opportunities to learn about collecting and acquire additional material.
Established in 2012 to fill the absence of a major coin show in downtown Toronto, the expo has grown into a twice-yearly gathering for dealers and collectors. “Fourteen years of glorious shows in downtown Toronto,” Stapleton said. The Toronto Reference Library’s central location continues to attract visitors from across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Additional information is available at torontocoinexpo.ca.