With the help of a pair of well-known Canadian dealers, the Bank of Canada Museum has acquired what was the only publicly available 1911 silver dollar. A pattern coin (an experimental piece struck to evaluate production details such as proposed designs, metal compositions and die formats), the iconic silver dollar now belongs to the central bank’s National Currency Collection. It joins two other patterns in silver and lead, with which it will soon be publicly displayed – in the same showcase – for the first time since their minting 111 years ago. The public will be able to view the three coins in the museum’s permanent galleries once the provincial government lifts its pandemic restrictions and the museum can reopen to the public. “Such an important Canadian numismatic treasure belongs in a museum,” said museum curator David Bergeron, who currently serves as the president of the Canadian Numismatic Research Society, of which he’s also a Fellow. Continue reading →
The Bank of Canada Museum has acquired the last publicly available 1911 silver dollar pattern (shown), known as the ‘Emperor of Canadian Coins.’ Two Canadian dealers bought the coin in 2019 and offered it to the numismatic and economic institution’s National Currency Collection last summer. Photo by Bank of Canada (NCC 2021.21.4).
