The truth is, if I had to pick the single most important change in the hobby, it would be the enthusiastic adoption of third-party certification. When I first came to CCN, certified coins were put in slabs, which had a negative connotation. Collectors smirked that coins would get resubmitted until they reached the highest plausible... Continue reading →
There is no doubt that the conflict was a watershed moment in Canadian history. Before the war, Upper Canada in particular was becoming more Americanized while north-bound trade was steadily growing. Some historians have argued that without the war, Canada would have eventually sought political union with its most significant trading partner. Ironically, the war... Continue reading →
Collectors struggling to put together a set of War of 1812 coins from circulation can take advantage of two sets being offered by the Royal Canadian Mint, which consist of Uncirculated examples of the $2 HMS Shannon and 25-cent coins honouring Maj.-Gen. Isaac Brock, Chief Tecumseh, Lt.-Col. Charles-Michel de Salaberry, and Laura Secord. The gift... Continue reading →
The advantages for the Royal Canadian Mint are obvious: these coins are sold for way more than the cost of production, and the Mint controls the program. That means that it can make a really good profit on each coin, and it means that the Mint gets to decide what coins to produce, how many... Continue reading →
“The Highway of Heroes silver commemorative coin captured the profound gratitude of Canadians to our soldiers who served and fell in Afghanistan, and the Mint expresses our thanks to them, as well as to all our active Canadian Armed Forces personnel and their families.” “Thousands of ordinary Canadians became extraordinary Canadians by lining the route... Continue reading →
Pittman was a remarkable collector who managed to acquire all three of the 1936 dot cents at one time, and hung onto them until after his death. At one time he was simultaneously president of both the RCNA and the ANA; an unmatched achievement. There are even rumours that he was involved in the deal... Continue reading →
A highlight of the Saturday evening was the awards banquet, when the ONA recognized the work of its members. The highest award, the Award of Merit, is presented to the person living in Ontario who has made the greatest contribution toward the advancement of numismatics at all levels: local, provincial, and national. Continue reading →
At this time the vast majority of collectors spending money on Mint issues are Canadians, and what’s more, more than 75 cents of out every dollar the Mint makes in numismatic issues comes from this country. That means that Canadians, as a group, easily spend more than $100 million a year on collector coins. That’s... Continue reading →
The setting was appropriate, since the note features images of Canadarm2 and Dextre, Canadian robotic innovations used to build and maintain the station. “I try to inspire young Canadians to aim high,” Hadfield said. “This new $5 bill should do the same. By giving prominence to Canadian achievements in space, this banknote reminds us that... Continue reading →
Legal tender does not mean an item can be converted into another form of cash, but simply that it can be used to pay a debt. When a merchant or bank agrees to swap four 25-cent pieces for a dollar or vice versa, it is doing a favour. The redemption of coins is the prerogative... Continue reading →