The final gold coins in the Bank of Canada’s reserves are being put up for sale. The Royal Canadian Mint has been consigned what it refers to as “a rare collection of Canada’s first gold coins, produced by the Mint from 1912 to 1914.” The coins take the form of almost a quarter-million Canadian $5... Continue reading →
However, for the most part, the collecting hobby agreed that there were thousands of gold coins sitting around waiting to be sold. The concern was always what would happen if these ever entered the market. Now using the Royal Canadian Mint makes sense; it is a Crown corporation, so there is no way there can... Continue reading →
The impending removal of the 1-cent coin from circulation, while inevitable, is still lamentable for coin collectors. For the first time in living memory, an entire coin denomination will cease to exist. It may be a bit of a stretch to compare this with the introduction of decimal currency of the 1850s, but in the... Continue reading →
The Reserve Bank of Fiji has rolled out the island nation’s newest coins, all made in Canada. The new coins, in values of 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents as well as $1 and $2, are made using the Royal Canadian Mint’s plating process. The coins, for the most part, feature local flora and fauna.... Continue reading →
The expedition left Canada’s west coast in August 1913 and quickly encountered trouble. The flagship, Karluk, under the famous Capt. Robert Bartlett, became trapped in ice. The ship was carried west in Siberian waters and eventually crushed with the loss of 11 lives. The survivors trekked over ice to Wrangel Island, a distance of 130... Continue reading →
By the end of this year, all of our notes will be printed on polymer, and “paper” money will be fast vanishing, the 1-cent coin will be gone, and virtually all of our coins will be less than 15 years old. I can’t think of a time since the days of Queen Victoria when our... Continue reading →
As I write this piece, the humble 1-cent coin sits silently on death row. By the time you read this, the Royal Canadian Mint and the coin-distribution system will no longer be shipping the coin. Not only that, but they will start recalling them, and business will be expected to round transactions off to the... Continue reading →
“To be a part of this historical occasion is nothing short of amazing,” said Chris Napolitano, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “Collectors competed with great fervour and energy, resulting in outstanding overall prices realized. The price of the gem 1794 dollar went up and up into the millions, with everyone in the audience on the... Continue reading →
It seems that almost nobody had any strong objections. There was no public outcry, no desperate last-minute effort to keep the former workhorse of Canadian coins, and I have not even heard a single complaint at any of the stores where I have transacted business since Feb. 4. It seems that we collectors, who mostly... Continue reading →
Heritage Auctions is selling an example of the rare 1936 dot Canadian cent, this one owned by the founder of Canadian Coin News, Chet Krause. The coin, graded PCGS MS-63 Red, was purchased by Krause in 2004 for $207,000 U.S. at Heritage’s 2004 New York International Numismatic Convention sale. Heritage spokesman Noah Fleisher told Canadian... Continue reading →