Coin collectors will return to Welland, Ont., on Oct. 3 for the city’s first dedicated coin show in decades, reviving a numismatic tradition that dates back more than half a century.
The inaugural Welland Coin Show will bring dealers from across Ontario to the Croatian National Home for a one-day bourse featuring Canadian and worldwide coins and banknotes, gold and silver bullion, medals, tokens, challenge coins and other numismatic material.
For collectors in Welland and surrounding communities, the show will provide a new opportunity to buy and sell material and meet professional dealers. Dealers are expected to bring inventories covering a wide range of collecting interests and budgets, from affordable pieces for beginning collectors to higher-end material for more advanced collections.
The Oct. 3 event also marks something of a homecoming for the hobby. Welland once had an active numismatic community through the Welland Coin Club, which organized shows in the city more than 50 years ago. Those activities eventually disappeared, leaving Welland without a dedicated coin show for decades.
SHOW RETURNS
Canadian Coin News publisher Mike Walsh, who is organizing the new show, has wanted to bring a numismatic event back to Welland for several years.
“We attend and cover coin shows across Canada, and I’ve often thought that Welland should once again have a show of its own,” Walsh said. “There is a long history of coin collecting here, so it’s exciting to finally bring a dedicated show back to the city.”
The show also has a strong connection to Canadian Coin News, which has been published since 1963 and has called the Niagara region home since 1989. Its parent company, The Trajan Publishing Corporation, is now based in Welland.
For established collectors, the attraction will be the opportunity to spend several hours searching dealer inventories, talking with other collectors and perhaps finding a coin, banknote or other piece that has been missing from their collections.
There will also be something for people who have inherited collections or accumulated coins and banknotes over the years without knowing much about them. Dealers will be buying material throughout the day, and visitors can bring individual items or collections for an initial assessment without an appointment.
COLLECTOR FINDS
Recent auction results continue to demonstrate that worthwhile finds are not necessarily confined to older Canadian coins.
A 2007 Royal Canadian Mint Baby Keepsake Tin that originally sold for $34.95 realized $300 at a London, Ont., auction on Sept. 14. The set contains a sterling silver dollar depicting children’s alphabet blocks and had sales of fewer than 3,300 sets.
“People sometimes assume something has to be extremely old to be collectible or valuable, but that isn’t always the case,” Walsh said. “That’s one of the great things about a coin show. You never quite know what somebody will bring through the door or what you’ll discover on a dealer’s table.”
DEALERS WELCOME
A limited number of dealer tables are still available for the inaugural show. Dealers interested in participating are encouraged to contact Walsh directly for information and availability.
The Welland Coin Show will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Croatian National Home, 6 Broadway Ave., Welland. Admission is $5, with free parking. For dealer information, contact Mike Walsh at 905-646-7744.