This spring’s Toronto Coin Expo, scheduled for May 1-2 in the Ontario capital, was cancelled today by organizers due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The decision came as Ontario’s health officials reported nearly 80 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to more than 500.
“Collectors are the backbone of our numismatic communities and their health and well-being is the priority,” reads a joint statement issued by show organizer Jared Stapleton and auctioneer Brian Bell, of Geoffrey Bell Auctions (GBA), which hosts a sale in conjunction with each Coin Expo.
THE AUCTION GOES ON
While the show is cancelled, the three-session auction will be held from GBA’s headquarters in Moncton, N.B.
Lot viewing will be available by appointment only on April 30-May 2 from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The live auctions begin each day at 6 p.m., and bidding will be available through gbellauctions.com. Interested bidders can also call 1-506-333-7778 or email info@gbellauctions.com for lot descriptions, to place absentee bids or to arrange bidding by telephone.
“We are following all Health Canada, Public Health Ontario, and Toronto Public Health guidelines and implementing all recommendations to protect the health of the collectors, dealers, attendees, staff, and community members,” adds the statement from Stapleton and Bell.
“Numismatic events all over the world have been cancelled during these unprecedented times. We feel for every professional, collector, family, and club that has been affected by this situation. For anyone infected, along with their family and friends, our heart goes out to you. We are determined to do everything to ensure our hobby and for some livelihoods, remain as robust as ever. Every indication points to a continued thriving numismatic market in Canada.”
Looking ahead to the next Toronto Coin Expo, the show’s fall edition is scheduled for Oct. 2-3.