The Royal Canadian Numismatic Association Auction opened with historical significance and competitive bidding yesterday in Calgary, where Lot 1 – a rare Indian Treaty No. 7 silver medal issued in 1877 – sold for $59,750, including buyer’s premium.
Offered by The Canadian Numismatic Company (TCNC) in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association’s annual convention, the large-format silver medal marked a powerful start to the four-day sale. Struck for presentation to Indigenous leaders, the 76mm medal was awarded on behalf of Queen Victoria to the chiefs of eight Nations: Bearspaw, Blood, Chiniki, Piikani, Siksika, Stoney, Tsuu T’Ina and Wesley.
Treaty medals were symbolic gifts recognizing solemn agreements between the Crown and First Nations concerning land, hunting, fishing, and resource rights. This particular medal, struck by J.S. & A.B. Wyon, features a veiled and crowned Queen Victoria on the obverse and a reverse scene of a commissioner shaking hands with a chief before tepees and a rising sun.
“These medals are among the most culturally and historically significant items in Canadian numismatics,” said auctioneer Marc Verret. “They carry not just monetary value, but a profound connection to the shaping of our nation’s history.”
The auction runs through July 20, with several hundred lots crossing the block today, including Canadian coins, historical medals, and the sought-after Hudson’s Bay tokens and related keepsakes. Among today’s anticipated highlights is Lot 403, a 1948 silver dollar graded ICCS Superb Gem Mint State-66.
Lot 403 offers a 1948 silver dollar graded ICCS Superb Gem Mint State-66, tied for the highest known grade. With a pre-sale estimate of $45,000, the coin is described by auctioneer Marc Verret as “nearly flawless” and “the finest example handled in over 40 years.” (Photo courtesy of The Canadian Numismatic Company)
Verret described it as “the best of the best… pristine, blast white and fully lustrous with superb fields—nearly flawless.” Tied for the highest-graded example known, this coin stands out as “the finest and nicest example we’ve seen and handled in over 40 years,” Verret added. Regarded as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for registry set collectors, it’s expected to draw strong bidding and may exceed expectations. The pre-sale estimate is $75,000-plus
with live lot viewing available on the bourse floor during the RCNA Convention. To browse or bid, visit the auction website.