Category Archives: Top Story

Despite their inclusion in some of the most significant Canadian numismatic collections of all-time, medals remain an “under-appreciated” area of the hobby in this country. Going as far back as April 1895, when the Gerald Hart Collection was sold in New York by auctioneer Henry Merry, medals played a prominent part in collectors’ interests. The... Continue reading →

For their issuers, banknotes have always been a product of necessity. The card money used to pay soldiers in New France, the early notes issued by chartered banks to control the money supply, and even Canada’s modern notes – upgraded about every decade to combat counterfeiting – are examples of how banknotes serve society’s financial needs.... Continue reading →

Long-time dealer Don Olmstead, who was also a frequent contributor to CCN Trends, died on June 20 after a “short but courageous” battle with cancer. A long-time member of the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND), Olmstead specialized in paper money and served the collecting community since 1976 as Olmstead Currency. Aside from his vast numismatic... Continue reading →

A pair of Columbian nationals have been arrested and charged for stealing nearly half a million dollars worth of numismatic material from a Vancouver dealer this March. On March 1, after leaving the Calgary Spring Coin Show & Money Fair, dealer Joe Iorio was checking in at the Calgary Airport when his bags were stolen. Altogether,... Continue reading →

The Bank of Vancouver was a short-lived Canadian chartered bank established in Vancouver, B.C., on July 30, 1910, before going out of business about four and a half years later later on Dec. 14, 1914. The Bank of Vancouver was one of three B.C. banks that sprang up in the late 19th and early 20th... Continue reading →

While the general advice is to collect the highest-quality examples available, deep pockets aren’t a prerequisite for having a satisfying hobby – or being an advanced numismatist. Unique or finest-known examples are nice to own, but collectors pay steep premiums for those privileges. There’s more to numismatics than Mint-State (MS) coins. “Collectors don’t always need to... Continue reading →

When hunting for coins for their collections – especially those in lower-than-Mint-State condition – collectors are forced to wade through seemingly countless examples to find “the right one.” The prevailing wisdom is for collectors to collect the highest-graded examples they can afford, and judging by the major sales of recent years, that advice is being heeded. The... Continue reading →

Between writing, researching, cataloguing and browsing online offerings to add to their collections, Canadian numismatists have no shortage of tasks to stay busy while under lockdown. As March turned into April, much of Canada was placed under even stricter shelter-in-place and social-distancing orders, which are now expected to last “several weeks, perhaps several months,” according... Continue reading →

“In order to be understood, we have to try to understand.” That concept is something Lisa Dare lives and breathes as both an accredited professional consultant and as the wife of a collector. In her day job, she teaches executives, managers and other business leaders the importance of building strong relationships through effective communication. At... Continue reading →