Category Archives: Top Story

Tokens will dominate the numismatic portion of Jeffrey Hoare Auctions’ Jan. 29, 2017 sale, being held in conjunction with the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers annual show in Hamilton. The tokens, coming from the collection of collector and dealer Jack C. Lavis, are extensive, covering the era from the French Regime to post-Confederation. It includes... Continue reading →

The focus of the Royal Canadian Mint’s introductory product line is shifting in a big way this year. Introduced in 2011, the face value program is being phased out and replaced with new introductory products, namely a $3 Fine silver coin that will retail at $19.95. The move supports a “long-term strategy to grow and... Continue reading →

With the help of Ontario-based collector John Masterson, Canadian Coin News will issue a special, limited-edition silver rounder in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary. Masterson, who’s the owner of Canada’s only hand-powered silver company, Beaver Bullion, was approached by CCN Publisher Mike Walsh this summer in regards to the upcoming sesquicentennial celebration. “For me personally,... Continue reading →

After a spurt of counterfeit gold bars came on the market this fall, some dealers are calling for the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND) to implement a warning system for its members. Organized in 1975, CAND is a non-profit association of about 50 professional numismatists. This September, three of its members were duped into... Continue reading →

Having a Canadian woman featured on a Canadian banknote is great news for the hobby, says the president of the Canadian Paper Money Society. Black rights activist and Nova Scotia businesswoman Viola Desmond – born in Halifax on July 6, 1914 – has been chosen as the first Canadian woman to be featured on a... Continue reading →

Fantasies abound at the recent Torex Coin Show, held Nov. 19-20 in downtown Toronto. One such fantasy was a 1956-dated silver coin with a denomination of six bits (equivalent to 75 cents) and a design featuring plants of the Aquilegia genus. The coin – believed to be created by an engraver at the Royal Canadian... Continue reading →

Eight years after a massive fire at its headquarters and barracks, Canada’s oldest French-Canadian regiment – The Voltigeurs – has found a way to celebrate its rich history. On April 4, 2008, the Voltigeurs’ iconic drill hall, the Québec City Armoury, was badly damaged. The back wall and several turrets beside the front door were... Continue reading →

An eight-year-old Richmond Hill girl, Joelle Wong, is among the Canadians whose designs have been selected for the Canada 150 circulating coins coming out next year. Wong’s design, which will appear on the 25-cent coin, is called Hope, and shows a bird, turtle, and beaver with a plant stem and pair of hands. “I love... Continue reading →

Again this time, there’s an “outstanding” selection of numismatic material – some things rare, more things interesting, and still more unexpected – heading into downtown Toronto this November 18-20 for the highly anticipated Torex Auction. In what’s arguably the auction house’s “best sale of the past 10 years,” The Canadian Numismatic Company (TCNC) is slated... Continue reading →

A 115-year-old banknote issued by the Canadian Bank of Commerce – complete with a rare “Dawson” overprint – crossed the block for $40,000 at the Toronto Coin Expo Sale on Sept. 30. Auctioneer Geoffrey Bell said only four examples of this “outstanding rarity” are known to exist. “It’s a very historical piece, and it’s very... Continue reading →