Local collector funds trade token for Hornby Island

Long-time collector and part-time dealer Jim Bulmer mans a booth at Hornby Island's Ringside Market his wife Dr. Barbara Froehner during Canada Day weekend in 2018.

Businesses in Hornby Island, B.C. – a Salish Sea island located east of Vancouver’s Comox Valley – are now accepting municipal trade tokens as a form of currency. The tokens were designed and funded by Jim Bulmer, a coin collector for more than 50 years. He donated $8,000 to produce 1,000 tokens and collectible pins.... Continue reading →

1921-dated 50-cent piece to highlight RCNA Auction

A 1921-dated 50-cent coin in PCGS Specimen-64 is expected to cross the block for $150,000-$200,000 at the RCNA Auction hosted by The Canadian Numismatic Company this August.

A 1921-dated 50-cent coin in Specimen-64 condition is expected to bring upwards of $200,000 during the five-session sale held in conjunction with the upcoming convention of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA). The centrepiece of the 2,285-lot sale, which will be hosted Aug. 8-13 by The Canadian Numismatic Company (TCNC), will be the aforementioned 50-cent... Continue reading →

Paper money ‘very strong’ at Torex sale

A 1935 Series $50 note (BC-14) in Paper Money Guaranty Choice Uncirculated-64 EPQ (exceptional paper quality) realized $38,350 at the June Torex Auction hosted by the Canadian Numismatic Company.

The Wildlife Museum Collection – most notably its paper money section – brought several highlights at the June Torex Auction hosted by The Canadian Numismatic Company in Toronto. According to auctioneers, the four-session sale – held June 22, 23, 25 and 26 – attracted “serious buyers” as the Québec-based auction house set a company record for the... Continue reading →

Massive exhibit combines three diverse interests

John Powers, with help from sponsor Colonial Acres, brought some of his ‘Banknotes and Butterflies of the World’ exhibit to the recent National Postage Stamp and Coin Show.

Thirty display cabinets long and three decades in the making, John Powers’ “Banknotes and Butterflies of the World” exhibition combines lepidopterology – the study of butterflies and moths – with notaphily and philately. With stunning effect, 120 countries are represented by a complete collection of 150 uncirculated banknotes issued by the Franklin Mint in stamped... Continue reading →

1884 five-cent variety expected to bring $70K at Torex June sale

An 1884 five-cent ‘Far Blunt 4’ variety with a grade of Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) Mint State-65 will be offered as one of about 1,600 lots in the four-session Torex auction to be held on June 22, 23, 25 and 26. The 134-year-old coin is expected to bring upwards of $70,000.

A 134-year-old five cents belonging to the Wildlife Museum Collection is expected to bring upwards of $70,000 when it crosses the auction block as part of this June’s Torex sale hosted by The Canadian Numismatic Auction Company (TCNAC). The 1884 five-cent “Far Blunt 4” variety will be offered as Lot 496 of the four-session sale. Described... Continue reading →

Chinese bullion tops Geoffrey Bell Expo sale

A trio of Chinese bullion coins realized $60,000 altogether at the May 3-4 Toronto Coin Expo Sale by Geoffrey Bell Auctions.

Three Chinese bullion coins highlighted the two-session, 1,213-lot sale hosted by New Brunswick’s Geoffrey Bell Auctions in conjunction with Toronto Coin Expo this May. The trio of bullion coins – offered as Lots 655, 654 and 653 – brought $60,000 altogether at the May 3-4 sale, topping the combined estimates by about $20,000. Continue reading →

Robins Collection proves to be ‘sale of the century for Canadian tokens’

An 1812 Lower Canada ‘BON POUR DEUX SOUS’ pattern penny realized $50,400 US as Lot 29299 of the Douglas Robins Collection sale by Heritage Auctions. All images courtesy Heritage Auctions.

The Douglas Robins Collection realized more than $1 million across more than 550 lots during Heritage Auctions’ Chicago Coin Expo World Coins Signature Auction this April. Described as the “sale of the century for Canadian tokens,” the April 20-24 sale was highlighted by an 1812 Lower Canada “BON POUR DEUX SOUS” pattern penny, which was... Continue reading →

Trajan show returns with a bang

More than 1,000 collectors attended the two-day National Postage Stamp & Coin Show this April.

The National Postage Stamp and Coin Show set a new record for attendance this April, when more than 1,000 collectors gathered for the biannual event in Mississauga. On April 7-8, the show returned to the Greater Toronto Area for the fifth time since 2015, when Trajan Media took over what was then known as the... Continue reading →

Collector discovers error identifying Loon designers

The 1997 Flying Loon reverse design (left) features the same designer’s mark as the 2002 ‘15th Anniversary of the Loon Dollar’ coin (reverse shown right), but every reference, including the Royal Canadian Mint website, credits different designers.

A long-standing error was recently discovered by Jim MacKenzie, editor of the Saskatoon Coin Club website. After a request to add a page to the club’s website, saskatooncoinclub.ca, showing the special reverse designs minted for the 1997 and 2002-18 Specimen sets, MacKenzie began gathering all the necessary photos. While writing a short description for each piece,... Continue reading →

High-tech Bank of Canada Museum brings Canada’s economic system to life

The Bank of Canada Museum features seven zones that explore not only money but also each individual’s role, and the role of the bank itself, in the worldwide economy. Zone four (shown above) introduces visitors to money from around the world. All photos by Jeff Fournier.

Visitors to the Bank of Canada Museum can take a selfie and put their face on a banknote, choose the colours and shapes to go along with it, and finalize the design with their signature to create their own custom banknote. Once created, the design can be emailed to its creator and displayed on a... Continue reading →

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