The 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) takes center stage at the Ontario Numismatic Association (ONA) Convention in Hamilton this Friday and Saturday (April 19-20) at the Courtyard by Marriott.
Tim Speed from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, located in Hamilton’s Mount Hope neighborhood near John C. Munro International Airport, will be the keynote speaker at the convention banquet. Speed’s presentation will focus on the legendary Lancaster Bomber, renowned as the most iconic Allied bomber of World War II.
The winning design of this year’s ONA medal prominently features the Avro Lancaster Bomber FM213 “Vera”. Selected from eight anonymous entries by the ONA’s medal design committee, the winning design was crafted by Cassidy Stroud. Jerome Fourre provided computer graphic enhancements to the design, which was then entrusted to renowned engraver Matt Bowen, known for his exceptional work with the Royal Canadian Mint. Bowen completed the engraving process before the design was sent to the Mississauga Mint for production. A total of 25 silver, 30 brass, and 80 copper medals, each measuring 38 millimeters, were struck. The ONA expresses gratitude to the Department of National Defence for granting permission to feature the RCAF roundel on the medal design.
In addition to the medal, a limited edition $5 souvenir banknote will be available at the convention in two variants. The first set comprises 101 serial-numbered banknotes, with each convention registrant receiving one. Any remaining banknotes, along with a limited run of 25 specimen notes, will be available for purchase during the convention. These banknotes complement the “regular notes and the special notes” issued by ONA President Sean Sinclair during the president’s reception.
The ONA Convention Coin Show welcomes the public on Saturday.
A notable change at this year’s convention is the modification to the popular dealer bourse. It will be accessible on Friday afternoon exclusively for dealers and convention registrants before opening to the public on Saturday. The Sunday show has been omitted from this year’s schedule.
Additionally, there will be a Silent Book Auction featuring selections from the ONA library. The organization has opted to gradually disperse its library over the next few years. At this weekend’s convention, a silent auction will showcase 51 books available for bidding.
Robb and Lisa McPherson serve as co-chairs for this year’s convention, which features three symposiums, the president’s reception, and the banquet.
Below is a schedule of events for the April 19-20 ONA Convention:
PROGRAM OF EVENTS
FRIDAY – APRIL 19, 2024
12:00 pm Security commences
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm Dealer & Exhibitors Set-up (Lancaster Ballroom)
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Educational Symposium (Dundurn Room)
Sean Sinclair “Three Centuries of Female Rule in Europe”
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Bourse Floor open to Registrants
2:00 pm – 6:00pm Registration table open for pick-up of registration kits
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Welcome/President’s Reception (Hamilton Room)
SATURDAY – APRIL 20, 2024
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration table open for pick-up of registration kits
8:00 am – 10:00 am Bourse Floor Preview open to Dealers, Exhibitors, and Registrants
(Lancaster Ballroom)
9:00 am – 10:00 am Educational Symposium (Dundurn Room)
Rick Dupuis “Promote Your Club Effectively…on the Cheap”
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Hospitality Suite open to Dealers, Exhibitors, and Registrants
(Hamilton Room)
10:00 am – 5:00 pm Bourse Floor open to the public (Lancaster Ballroom) Admission $5
10:15am – 11:30 am O.N.A AGM & Club Delegates Meeting (Dundurn Room) All official
club delegates, O.N.A. executives and guests are invited to attend.
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm R.C.N.A Coin Kids Auction (Dundurn Room)
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Educational Symposium (Dundurn Room)
Bob Fritsch “Polymer Money”
3:15 pm – 4:15 pm Educational Symposium (Dundurn Room)
David Carpenter “Edgy Coin Photos: Photographing a Coin’s Third Side”
4:30pm ONA Silent Book Auction Ends
6:30 pm – 7:00 pm Pre-Banquet Reception and cash bar – Open to holders of banquet
tickets ONLY.
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Annual Banquet – Includes full course dinner, keynote speaker, draw
prizes, award presentations and more.
11:00 pm SHOW CLOSES – See you in Stratford for the 63rd Annual Conv.