One of the really difficult things for burgeoning collectors to grasp is the concept of how rarity affects the price of a coin. That is usually because they fail to look at demand. Take, for instance, errors. By definition most of the really spectacular errors are unique; freak coins produced when something went horribly wrong.... Continue reading →
"Honouring the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 with this special circulation coin pays tribute to one of our greatest national heroes and reminds us that women and men of all backgrounds played instrumental roles on the road to Confederation,” said Nicholson. “Our government encourages Canadians to take this unprecedented opportunity to learn more... Continue reading →
The reason I mention it here is that I was immediately reminded of one of the first things I learned about coin collecting. That old maxim “buy the book before you buy the coin.” In this case the reason the collector found a great rarity was because he knew enough to know what to look... Continue reading →
“The national interest seemed high, and this was reflected especially in the high number of registered Internet and mail bidders,” Marc Verret told Canadian Coin News. “That made for some long and aggressive bidding sessions, which I believe all on hand enjoyed.” Verret said both sessions were a success, with the second session being the... Continue reading →
While much of coin collecting is about grading, history, the minting process, and the buying and selling of coins to meet a collecting goal, the fellowship that comes from associating with other collectors is a very tangible benefit as well. For one thing, a lot of coin collectors really are fun people who love to... Continue reading →
Christopher Faulkner was honoured with the J. Douglas Ferguson Award for distinguished service to Canadian numismatics, the highest honour in Canadian numismatics, at the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association annual convention, held July 24-28, in Winnipeg, Man. Faulkner has been active in Canadian numismatics for decades. His first published work on the subject was an article... Continue reading →
For years, I have been preaching that the best way to attract new collectors is to give them varied pocket change, which they can collect for face value. To me, the reasons are obvious: zero risk, the fun of looking through coins, and the fact that it reaches all Canadians because circulating coins are everywhere.... Continue reading →
The Royal Canadian Mint’s September catalogue includes the corporation’s second barn owl coin. The new coin, the 12th in the Birds of Canada series, is a coloured 25-cent piece showing a bird in full flight in a rural setting. Designed by Trevor Tennant, the coin is struck on cupro-nickel blanks, with a diameter of 35... Continue reading →
Coin designs often have to pass through the hands of bureaucrats and study groups before getting into production, a process that’s not conducive to artistic risks. Modern coin designers have great talent, but I suspect much less artistic freedom than many would like to have. Just once I would like to hear someone tell me... Continue reading →
Once again, the Royal Canadian Mint offered a special Uncirculated set at the American Numismatic Association (ANA) summer show and convention, held last month in Chicago. The set, which is similar to those issued in previous years, has a cardboard holder showing a canoe with places for the five-, 10-, and 25-cent coins, as well... Continue reading →