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However, for the most part, the collecting hobby agreed that there were thousands of gold coins sitting around waiting to be sold. The concern was always what would happen if these ever entered the market. Now using the Royal Canadian Mint makes sense; it is a Crown corporation, so there is no way there can be any sort of preferential treatment given to any company. What’s more, the profits, either through retained earnings or dividends, remain in the public pocket. The other thing that makes sense is that the vast majority of these coins, some 90 per cent, are going to be melted. As one collector remarked, it did feel a bit like burning books, but try to imagine the chaos that would ensue if nearly a quarter-million gold coins were poured into the Canadian market, even if it was done over a period of several months. Continue reading →

The impending removal of the 1-cent coin from circulation, while inevitable, is still lamentable for coin collectors. For the first time in living memory, an entire coin denomination will cease to exist. It may be a bit of a stretch to compare this with the introduction of decimal currency of the 1850s, but in the more than 150 years since decimal coins became legal tender, there has always been a 1-cent coin. I remember assembling date sets of 1-cent coins out of the family penny hoard. The collection was only worth face value, but it was fun and may in some way contribute to where I am now. It is a memory I am sure most of my readers share. But some of the talk surrounding the coin is just plain foolishness. Continue reading →

By the end of this year, all of our notes will be printed on polymer, and “paper” money will be fast vanishing, the 1-cent coin will be gone, and virtually all of our coins will be less than 15 years old. I can’t think of a time since the days of Queen Victoria when our physical money underwent such a dramatic change. This is bigger than the switch from the large cent, bigger than the introduction of the loonie and toonie, and even bigger than the switch away from silver to base metal. This could be considered an entire recreation of this country’s currency, something that hasn’t happened since before Canada was a nation. Continue reading →

As I write this piece, the humble 1-cent coin sits silently on death row. By the time you read this, the Royal Canadian Mint and the coin-distribution system will no longer be shipping the coin. Not only that, but they will start recalling them, and business will be expected to round transactions off to the nearest five cents. This change, of course, will only affect cash transactions. All other forms of payment, from cheques to debit and credit cards, will still be accounted to the exact amount. Continue reading →

It seems that almost nobody had any strong objections. There was no public outcry, no desperate last-minute effort to keep the former workhorse of Canadian coins, and I have not even heard a single complaint at any of the stores where I have transacted business since Feb. 4. It seems that we collectors, who mostly value the coin as a collectible, or as a memento of our early days in the hobby, are the only ones who even seemed to mourn its passing. To me, this means one of two things: either Canadians are smart people, who knew the coin has long since lost its usefulness; or we are sheep who just accept whatever decisions are passed down from Parliament Hill. I prefer to think the former. Continue reading →

While the digital version will be pretty much the same as the print version, except for hot links inside ads and editorial content, I do believe that electronic content offers a much better experience for the reader. I’m not talking about gimmicks, such as virtual reality games that almost nobody plays. I see opportunities for enhanced content, or even content not really suited to print, being connected to these articles. Right now we’re at the early stage of a digital experience, but I’m quite sure it is just the start of a whole new way for you and I to share our love of coins. Continue reading →