Auction preview: Next Colonial sale goes live Jan. 7

With more than 750 lots from around the world, the Coins, Currency and Bullion Auction hosted by Colonial Acres Coins will go live on Jan. 7.

In addition to items issued by various mints from around the world, the sale will include tokens, overstock items, paper money and more.

Among the top highlights is Lot 201, an 1887 25-cent coin in Very Fine-Extremely Fine (impaired). This lot has a starting price of $599 and a pre-sale estimate of $1,285-$1,425.

Lot 126 is the Royal Canadian Mint’s 2011 “Tulip with Venetian Glass Ladybug” coin. It’s expected to bring upwards of $1,350.

The Kitchener, Ont.-based coin dealer and auction house will also offer a 2011 $20 Fine silver coin struck by the Royal Canadian Mint as Lot 126. The “Tulip with Venetian Glass Ladybug” coin—issued with a mintage of only 5,000 pieces—has a starting price of $649 and a pre-sale estimate of $1,250-$1,350.

‘PASSION OF CHRIST’ SILVER COIN COLLECTION

Another highlight is Lot 468, a 14-piece collection of Fine silver coins issued in 2012 by Niue. Limited to a mintage of only 250 sets worldwide, this item comes with original packaging, a certificate of authentication and a custom case. It has a starting price of $679 and a pre-sale estimate of $1,170-$1,300.

CANADA’S FIRST GOLD COINS

Lot 320 is a 1914 $5 ‘hand-selected’ gold coin that’s expected to bring $1,250.

Rounding out the highlights is Lot 320, a 1914 $5 gold coin hand-selected by Mint employees for sale in 2013. This lot has a starting price of $850 and a pre-sale estimate of $1,125-$1,250.

From 1912-14, the Royal Mint’s Canadian branch in Ottawa produced $5 and $10 gold coins with a purity of 90 per cent (as well as sovereigns for the British government with the now-famous “C” mint mark). Because there was little demand for these coins, they were kept out of circulation at the beginning of the First World War as the government accumulated gold reserves to finance the war effort.

The coins were stored at the Bank of Canada for more than 75 years as part of the federal government’s Exchange Fund Account. The non-Canadian gold was sold in the 1970s; however, in 2013, the Mint announced its 1912-14 $5 and $10 gold coins would be offered for sale to convert the proceeds into quality fixed-income securities. The remainder were melted. About 30,000 coins were retained in the same proportion as the Bank of Canada’s holdings.

“The 1912-14 $5 and $10 Canadian gold coins are at the source of the Royal Canadian Mint’s reputation as a world-class refiner and producer of gold coins and we are delighted that these pieces of our history are back in the spotlight after a nearly century-long absence,” said Ian Bennett, then-president and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “By creating this unique opportunity to purchase Canada’s first gold coins proudly displaying national emblems, the Mint is excited to share these important artifacts with Canadians and collectors worldwide with the help of the Bank of Canada and the Department of Finance.”

PREMIUM HAND SELECTED vs. HAND SELECTED

The Mint offered the coins in “premium hand-selected” sets of all six denominations produced from 1912-14 in addition to selling “hand-selected” single coins. The proceeds of this sale, less a fixed management fee, was returned to the Exchange Fund Account for the purchase of high-credit quality, marketable fixed-income securities in compliance with the fund’s mandate. According to the Mint, most of the gold for the coins came from the Klondike region in 1912 and from Ontario in previous years.

A total of 5,050 “hand-selected” 1912-, 1913- and 1914-dated $5 coins were sold by the Mint in 2013 for $500 each.

Among these coins is Lot 320 of the Jan. 7 sale by Colonial Coins.

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