The late Robert Kokotailo is pictured at Calgary Coin Gallery in Calgary, Alta. Robert was a longtime dealer and respected figure in Canadian numismatics who operated one of Western Canada’s best-known coin shops for several decades.
Robert Kokotailo, longtime owner of Calgary Coin Gallery and a familiar figure in Canadian numismatics for decades, passed away Tuesday evening, according to messages shared within the hobby community.
News of Robert’s passing circulated Wednesday morning among collectors and dealers.
Robert was widely recognized as one of Western Canada’s best-known coin dealers and operated Calgary Coin Gallery in Calgary, Alta., for several decades. The business became a major destination for collectors seeking Canadian, world, ancient and medieval coins along with bullion products.
A lifelong numismatist, Robert began collecting as a teenager in the late 1960s and eventually transformed his passion into a full-time business. He developed a strong reputation for his expertise in ancient and medieval coinage while serving generations of collectors through his retail store, mail-order business and national coin-show presence.
Robert Kokotailo of Calgary Coin Gallery is seen at the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association convention bourse in Niagara Falls, Ont., in 2007. Kokotailo, a longtime Calgary dealer and owner of Calgary Coin Gallery, passed away on July 29. (Photo credit: Dan Gosling /RCNA)
Robert was also a longtime supporter of organized numismatics in Canada. He regularly attended the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association’s annual conventions and participated in the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers’ annual conventions in Hamilton.
Within CAND, he was known for his volunteer efforts behind the scenes, including creating and maintaining the association’s website for many years.
As traditional coin shops disappeared across Canada, Calgary Coin Gallery remained one of the country’s few longstanding full-service numismatic storefronts. In a 2023 interview discussing the changing hobby landscape in Calgary, Robert reflected on the dramatic decline in coin shops since the hobby’s peak in the 1980s.
“There were around 12 full-time coin stores in Calgary in the 1980s,” Robert said at the time. “I am the last one that’s a true coin store left.”
Robert’s passion and deep knowledge of numismatics were also highlighted during a July 17, 2019 interview with Global News Calgary as the city prepared to host the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association’s annual convention.
Standing inside Calgary Coin Gallery surrounded by coins, paper money and collectibles, Robert spoke candidly about his lifelong fascination with the hobby and the importance of knowledge within numismatics.
“I don’t actually collect coins. I buy and sell them for a living,” Robert told Global News. “What I collect is knowledge about coins.”
The television feature offered viewers a glimpse into Robert’s personality, expertise and enthusiasm for the hobby while also showcasing Calgary Coin Gallery and the broader collecting community ahead of the RCNA convention.
Readers are encouraged to watch the Global News feature online.
Collectors and dealers across Canada knew Robert as a familiar face at major conventions, bourses and hobby events, where he maintained strong connections throughout the numismatic community.
Further details, including funeral arrangements and a formal obituary, will be updated as they become available.