More than 130 RCNA convention medals to cross auction block today

Selections from library of late token collector Doug Robins also offered in today’s 441-lot sale by Kolbe & Fanning

An extensive collection of 132 Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA) convention medals is among the top highlights of today’s sale by Kolbe and Fanning Numismatic Booksellers.

To be offered as Lot 344 of the 441-lot sale, and with a minimum bid of $2,750 USD, the collection was assembled by late collector Phil Carrigan, who was a long-running member and officer of the Numismatic Bibliomania Society prior to his death last year.

Specializing in Canadian coins and a frequent attendee of RCNA conventions, Carrigan also assembled his collection of RCNA medals dated from 1954-2016 with only 1960 (Sherbrooke, Qué.) and 2008 (Ottawa) missing.

Housed in a variety of holders, some of which may require replacement, the medals are “generally uncirculated,” according to auctioneers.

“For most of these conventions, the collection holds multiple strikings, usually in various metals, but occasionally including special uniface or engraved medals used or intended to be used as award medals. A number of these strikings are scarce and a few are genuinely rare.”

For example, the 1959 medal in silver had a 2008 book value of $300 while many of the uniface award medals are unpriced and have mintages as low as six.

Using the issue price for later medals, the collection’s overall 2008 book value (the latest edition) is more than $6,000.

“This was a collection in which Phil put a lot of work, and it shows,” reads the auction catalogue, which adds the collection offers “a rare opportunity” for collectors.

Using the numbering system developed in the Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Numismatic Medals (second edition, 2008), the collection includes:

  • 1954 Toronto (CNA-1B brass original and CNA-1D brass restrike);
  • 1955 Ottawa (CNA-2A bronze);
  • 1956 London (CNA-3B bronze);
  • 1957 Hamilton (CNA-4A bronze);
  • 1958 Ottawa (CNA-5A bronze);
  • 1959 Regina (CNA-6B silver), which is scarce with a mintage of 30;
  • 1961 Hamilton (CNA-8C bronze);
  • 1962 Detroit (CNA-9B pale bronze);
  • 1963 Vancouver (CNA-10A silver and CNA-10B copper);
  • 1964 Halifax (CNA-11A silver and CNA-11B bronze);
  • 1965 Montreal (CNA-12A silver and CNA-12BA bronze);
  • 1966 Winnipeg (CNA-13A silver and CNA-13B bronze);
  • 1967 Ottawa (CNA-14A bronze and CNA-14B silver);
  • 1968 Calgary (CNA-15A bronze);
  • 1969 Toronto (CNA-16A bronze and CNA-16D nickel-plated bronze);
  • 1970 Halifax (CNA-17A silver, CNA-17B bronze and a scarce CNA-17E bronze award BW tartan);
  • 1971 Vancouver (CNA-18A silver and CNA-18B bronze);
  • 1972 Toronto (CNA-19A silver, CNA-19B bronze, a scarce CNA-19D bronze uniface medal and a scarce CNA-19E nickel-plated uniface engraved medal);
  • 1973 Saskatoon (CNA-20A silver and CNA-20B bronze);
  • 1974 Hamilton (CNA-21A silver #117, CNA-21B bronze “Reverse 1,” CNA-21C silver #20, CNA-21D bronze “Reverse 2” and CNA-21E nickel silver “Reverse 2”);
  • 1975 Calgary (CNA-22A silver and CNA-22B bronze);
  • 1976 Ottawa (CNA-23A silver, CNA-23B bronze, CNA-23C silver uniface, CNA-23D bronze uniface, and a scarce engraved CNA-23E white metal uniface medal);
  • 1977 Vancouver (CNA-24A silver and CNA-24B bronze);
  • 1978 London (CNA-25A silver and CNA-25B bronze);
  • 1979 Edmonton (CNA-26A silver and CNA-26B bronze);
  • 1980 Montreal (CNA-27A silver, CNA-27B bronze, a scarce engraved CNA-27E nickel-silver uniface medal and a rare CNA-27F bronze uniface medal with a mintage of six);
  • 1981 Toronto (CNA-28A silver and CNA-28B bronze);
  • 1982 Winnipeg (CNA-29A silver and CNA-29B bronze);
  • 1983 Moncton (CNA-30A silver and CNA-30B bronze);
  • 1984 Hamilton (CNA-31A silver and CNA-31B bronze);
  • 1985 Regina (CNA-32A silver and CNA-32B bronze);
  • 1986 Toronto (CNA-33A silver and CNA-33B bronze);
  • 1987 Calgary (CNA-34A silver and CNA-34B bronze);
  • 1988 Charlottetown (CNA-35A silver and CNA-35B bronze);
  • 1989 Quebec (CNA-36A silver and CNA-36B bronze);
  • 1990 Vancouver (CNA-37A silver and CNA-37B bronze);
  • 1991 Toronto (CNA-38A silver, CNA-38B bronze and a scarce engraved CNA-38E antiqued cupro-nickel uniface medal);
  • 1992 Montreal (CNA-39A silver and CNA-39B bronze);
  • 1993 Moncton (CNA-40A silver and CNA-40B bronze);
  • 1994 Hamilton (CNA-41A silver, CNA-41B bronze and a scarce engraved CNA-41F antiqued cupro-nickel uniface medal);
  • 1995 Calgary (CNA-42A silver and CNA-42B copper);
  • 1996 Montreal (CNA-43A silver and CNA-43B bronze);
  • 1997 Moncton (CNA-44A silver and CNA-44B bronze);
  • 1998 Edmonton (CNA-45A silver and CNA-45B copper);
  • 1999 Kitchener (CNA-46A silver and CNA-46B copper);
  • 2000 Ottawa (CNA-47B copper);
  • 2001 Quebec (CNA-48A silver and CNA-48B copper);
  • 2002 Vancouver (CNA-49A silver and CNA-49B copper);
  • 2003 Windsor (CNA-50A silver, CNA-50B copper and a scarce engraved CNA-50F antiqued cupro-nickel uniface medal);
  • 2004 Toronto (CNA-51A silver and CNA-51B copper);
  • 2005 Calgary (CNA-52A silver, CNA-52B copper and CNA-52D silver uniface medal engraved to Carrigan);
  • 2006 Niagara Falls (CNA-53A silver, CNA-53B copper, CNA-53D silver uniface medal engraved to Carrigan and CNA-53F copper-nickel uniface);
  • 2007 Niagara Falls (CNA-54A silver and CNA-54B copper);
  • 2009 Edmonton (silver and copper);
  • 2010 St. John (silver and copper);
  • 2011 Windsor (silver and copper);
  • 2012 Calgary (silver, copper and a copper-nickel uniface medal engraved to Carrigan);
  • 2013 Winnepeg (silver, copper and a copper-nickel uniface medal engraved to Carrigan);
  • 2014 Toronto (copper-nickel uniface medal engraved to Carrigan);
  • 2015 Halifax (silver, copper and a copper-nickel uniface medal engraved to Carrigan);
  • 2016 Ottawa (silver and copper).

DOUG ROBINS LIBRARY

The April 27 sale – the 152nd for the Ohio-based auction house specializing in numismatic literature – is devoted to North American numismatics and “of particular interest to collectors of Canadian coins, medals, tokens and paper money,” according to auctioneers.

Other highlights include selections from the library of late numismatist Doug Robins, whose iconic collection of Canadian tokens realized more than $1 million when it was offered by Heritage Auctions last April.

Lot 324 offers all four W.W.C. Wilson auction catalogues with a minimum bid of $800 USD.

“The four W.W.C. Wilson sales, held one a year from 1925 to 1928, admittedly decline in importance as they go up in number—but they increase dramatically in rarity, with the first being fairly available (in unplated form at least), the second being scarce, the third being very scarce, and this final sale being genuinely rare,” reads the Kolbe and Fanning auction catalogue.

Lot 217 offers a collection of 110 Jeffrey Hoare Auctions catalogues, including annotated saleroom copies, with a minimum bid of $650 USD. Ranging from sale #1-114, the collection is missing only #7, 9, 94 and 98.

U.S. CATALOGUES WITH ANCIENTS, FOREIGN

Also on offer are selections from the libraries of Q. David Bowers, Philip Carrigan, John Donoghue, Reed Hawn and Del Bland with a number of “important American catalogues offering ancient and foreign coins” slated to cross the block.

Live internet bidding will be available throughout today’s sale, beginning at noon (ET), via bid.numislit.com.

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