Canadian Numismatics

Teaching Children about Numismatics is Great, but They Are Not the Immediate Need For the Future of the Hobby

June 21, 2017 by Scott M.

I have to applaud the few youth organizations throughout Canada that work hard to get children hooked on the coin hobby. There are plenty of wonderful incentives like the Coin Kids volunteer program of the RCNA that gifts plenty of quality coins and discounted premium material for youth.

There are also tireless collectors involved in the implementation of numismatics into the classroom on a localized level. This author is one of them. Incorporating a banknote into a social studies class or teaching geography from provincial-themed quarters is satisfying, to say the least, but one has to wonder when those efforts will pay off. Selfishly we do this to promote the hobby and ensure it for future generations.

The seeds we are planting now are likely going to be decades before maturation. In the case of youth being taught the joys of numismatics, only so many will actually have the collecting bug. I refer to the excellent book One Coin is Never Enough: Why and How we Collect by Dr. Michael Schutty. In it, he describes the unique and admittedly strange psychology of those of us who collect. Not everyone has the genetics or curse as some would describe it, to be a collector. Some might describe it as a compulsion.

There are years of challenges that the youth will face even if they have the collecting bug. A child’s ability to come back to the hobby after the rigors of high school and/or post-secondary education often put collecting on the back burner. Sometimes social stigmas lead themselves forward and drive hobbies behind. It’s flattering to see that children who enjoy comic books and video games are no longer ostracized or considered nerds. For youngsters who prefer

Sometimes social stigmas lead themselves forward and drive hobbies behind. It’s flattering to see that children who enjoy comic books and video games are no longer ostracized or considered nerds. For youngsters who prefer coins, it might still be difficult to be socially accepted in school.

Financially speaking, their lives will only become more expensive until they reach consistent income generation. Collecting might not be permissible in their everyday lives with part-time and student employment. I can personally relate to a time when I left collecting for several years because of the rigors of being in school and working full-time.

There is an age group though that has the ability to engage in numismatics full-force. Millennials are a group of children who grew up in the 1990s and early 21st century. Today the earlier half are graduating and entering the workforce. The bulk of them is finishing advanced university degrees at a higher rate than any other generation in Canada. Aside from all of the economic uncertainty, they are finally buying homes and entering sustainable careers. They are the age group most likely to benefit from numismatic education and support. And we should put our full-force behind them.

The bulk of them is finishing advanced university degrees at a higher rate than any other generation in Canada. Aside from all of the economic uncertainty, they are finally buying homes and entering sustainable careers. They are the age group most likely to benefit from numismatic education and support. And we should put our full-force behind them.

The millennial age group is the new baby boomer group both in demographical size and impact they will have on the economy. They will be in the workforce for the next several decades and before they enter retirement they will be the largest percentage of the population in Canada. Their life expectancy will be at an all-time high compared to previous generations.

They also bring a new set of skills to compete with the work ethic of the earlier generations that would be an asset to the numismatic community. Their fluidity with technology is hard to deny. They need not list computer skills on their resume. It is second-nature to them. An increasingly large number are learning to code and build apps, a skill that will likely become a necessity to future generations.

Many millennials are looking to complete their resumes with coveted volunteer work and experience utilizing their technological skills. In many cases, it can make or break a job interview as its presence can showcase real skills and experience, which few millennials have entering the workforce today.

This skill set and the corresponding problem can be put to great use volunteering and even work paid positions in numismatics. They could be employed to digitize obscure numismatic books or even convert current publications to electronic versions that have found difficulty in reaching out to a digital audience. Unfortunately, I still hear from numismatic publishers that CD-ROMs are the future of publishing on the topic.

Social media is their forte. Genuine social connections with like-minded would-be collectors on social media would have a far more powerful impact on engagement and installing the hobby rather than the older generations attempting to compete with the multitude of content online. Imagine if they could be inspired and given the incentive to communicate with their age group. I was amazed to discover that a healthy audience of twenty-something coin collectors exists on Instagram, thrilled at the opportunity to share breathtaking photos of their collections. I can’t wait to join!

Given the opportunity, they would also be interested in publishing writing and research on numismatics. Such an opportunity, to be published, is a wonderful accomplishment and another example of added value to one’s resume. The ability to learn the nuances of the publishing world and to take on the responsibility of working with an editor is invaluable. We should advertise opportunities like this. This author has used it as a bridge to a career and has opened several doors that would otherwise be closed thanks to numismatic publishing

The most compelling reason to target millennials seems to relate to their financial purchasing power. After all, money makes the world go round. As much as we love teaching children about coins and securing an interest in them for the future of our hobby, their buying power is minimal. However, millennials, even if overtaxed and overextended with bills and the cost of living, are the ones who will be able to make a difference. They still find ways to spend what little they have on their passions and hobbies every day. If given a compelling reason to buy coins I believe they could make a powerful impact on the hobby.

Their presence at the next major coin convention and ability to make meaningful purchases would give dealers a financial incentive to continue to rent tables. The admission of children is encouraging, but won’t keep those dealers renting tables year-after-year. One millennial with purchasing power today will have a greater impact on the hobby than dozens of youth who are attending a show to learn about coins.

Of course, all of this is not to suggest that we should abandon our youth programs. The efforts being made right now will likely pay off in encouraging a fraction of the children we reach out to become coin collectors as they get older. We should continue these efforts. I will continue to further these efforts by continually introducing coins in the classroom wherever possible.

However, the immediate need is the foreseeable future. As expenses rise in hosting conventions, printing journals, and updating guidebooks the number of participating collectors is dwindling. Without a population to support that drop-off of our hobby will suffer dramatically over the next decade.

With all of the opportunities, there are definite challenges that would be foolish to ignore. Minimalism is no longer a trend, but part of millennials everyday lives. Besides learning to live off of less and just owning less “stuff”, tablets and phones have taken the place of many everyday belongings in our homes. Even though millennials are finally buying homes, Canada’s prohibitively expensive housing market is forcing many to settle for smaller homes or rent in tight spaces. Ultimately, challenges such as these will continue to tie up millennials financially.

Perhaps even more perplexing for the average collector concerned about the hobby is whether or not millennials would even have an interest in collecting. It is hard to see with their Y.O.L.O lifestyles. It would be incorrect to suggest that they either do or do not because the age group is so diverse from a socioeconomic perspective. And it simply isn’t a matter of making coins fun as we have proven with children and ourselves that coin collecting is fun. They are out there. The next step is to real them in as soon as they get hooked.

Canada’s new $10 Bill featuring Viola Desmond – What it means for Canadians and the Future of Portraits on Coins and Banknotes

January 21, 2017 by Scott M.

Viola Desmond will be the first Canadian woman on a Canadian banknote starting in 2018. Most Canadians have no idea who she was. The name does not ring a bell for the average citizen. She was not an inventor or political leader, rather a humble Civil Rights activist from Nova Scotia. Let’s take a look at what this means for Canadians.

Canada too Had Black Segregation Laws Many Times Forgotten

Desmond was just one of many black Canadians who was subjected to racism and ultimately segregation. Most Canadians would doubt that Canada went through some of the same problems the United States did in segregation and racism against blacks. They are constantly reminded of the First Nations and Metis experience.

Since the beginning of the end of the transatlantic slave trade in the late 18th century, slaves have been making their way to Nova Scotia in search of a better life. In 1808 the British Parliament passed The Slave Trade Act, ending the buying and selling, not ownership of slaves. Perhaps best known to most Canadians was the story in Book of Negros in which Aminata Diallo escapes slavery in South Carolina for a life of freedom in Nova Scotia.

Just because slavery did not start a Civil War in Canada doesn’t mean that everything was perfect north of the border. Racism against blacks is quietly pushed under the rug in this country, which is why few people have heard of or can remember being taught the story of the ‘Canadian Rosa Parks.’

Blacks faced many of the adversities in Canada that they did in The United States, from segregation to black codes, to social norms that viewed them as less than intellectual than whites. They were viewed as a class below, not out of personal vendettas, simply that is the way people felt.

Banknotes and Coins have Featured Women Before

The first Canadian woman to appear on a Canadian banknote is fitting. Although the Queen has graced many a banknote portrait, this is the first representation of a “normal Canadian.” No disrespect is intended. Viola was a Canadian citizen. She was not a celebrity or a politician.

In both Canada and The United States there is the overwhelming feeling that politicians of old just deserve to be featured on banknotes and coins. That is their place in history. It is not to be discussed or argued, simply accepted. Most are not aware that presidents and prime ministers are rather new inclusions to our coins and currency.

Mid 20th century American coins featured personifications of liberty in the female form. Prior designs featured a female native with intricate headdress in the Indian Cent and the bust of Lady Liberty on Half Cents all the way to Silver Dollars of the 18th century. Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars also personified this beautiful celebration of democracy.

Canadian examples have featured the royal family of England up to the various animals and natural themes that are enigmatic of this country. Dominion of Canada banknotes also featured the personification of Lady Liberty like their southern neighbors. The appearance of Sir John A McDonald, Wilfred Laurier, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden is relatively new to banknotes since 1975 and 1976.

Today Sensitivity is Key, but Values are Changing

Fascinatingly the public has spoken out for a change in coin and currency designs. One might attribute this to a more liberal and socially aware society in which Canadian historical figures involved in our currency were openly racist in the American case were actually slave owners. There is likely some fuel to that argument.

Rather, I would argue that the changes are natural. Not only do they reflect an obvious change in demographics and immigration, especially in Canada which relies on immigration each year to maintain a stable population, but they also reflect historic changes in times and ideas.

Major historical events have shaped and changed coin and currency designs

I believe what makes this case so incredible is that Viola Desmond took a radical stand more than ten years before it was beginning to take shape. The Civil Rights Movement exploded in the 1950s and came to fruition in the 1960s. In 1946, just a year after the end of the Second World War, a black woman had the courage to stand up against the institution of racism.

First Nations and Aboriginal Women Should be Next – Will it Achieve a Positive Goal?

The next likely candidate for a portrait change on a Canadian banknote will be a First Nations, Metis, or Inuit woman. Canadians, before white Europeans came to this land are still here and in many cases struggling to survive. In many respects they still deal with the institutionalized government decisions Desmond fought against.

The portrait of an Aboriginal Canadian would likely lead to further awareness of Canadian Aboriginals in the classroom and social circles for the short-term. One has to wonder if there is any chance it will make a significant social impact on that community.

Notice though that I have said, a Canadian Aboriginal woman. There is no mention of specifics because that is how far removed Canadians are from the famous contributors to the country within the First Nations and Metis landscape. This is little different than Viola’s story. I wouldn’t mind entertaining such a radical candidate as Helen Betty Osborne, though only if her family approved.

Viola Desmond’s Legacy on a Canadian Banknote

What good does being on a banknote do though? Did Abraham Lincolns’ portrait on the Five Dollar Bill or One Cent Coin stop incidents of violence over race? Did the appearance of William Lyon McKenzie King lead to more students familiarized with the role he played in bringing further economic and industrial attention to the neglected Prairies?

Will Viola Desmond change anything for black Canadians? One might even question if there is anything that even needs changing. Though that question probably resides outside of the black Canadian diaspora.

I have to wonder if Change would ever be the intention. Inclusion on banknotes and coins is a matter of respect for historic figures, hallmark places, memorable time periods, and events that impacted people forever. A change has already occurred that has lead to the development of this banknote in the first place.

Reflections on the 2016 RCNA Convention in Ottawa

December 19, 2016 by Scott M.

I waited a few months before writing my review of the 2016 RCNA Convention in Ottawa because I really wanted everything to soak in. It’s often valuable to write about experiences when they are fresh. The danger of writing after an extended period of time after the event leads to issues related to nostalgia and what our memory hoped events were like rather than reality.

I do have fond memories of this event so some of my analysis is undoubtedly a reflection of those great moments. All of that said, I will attempt to take a birds-eye view of what happened that might allow the reader to make an inference as to whether the event is worth attending in subsequent years.

If you haven’t read my review on the 2015 RCNA show in Halifax please follow the link and check that out. It was my first RCNA show so it was a bit starry-eyed.

Ottawa – A Great Big City, Great for a Coin Convention

This years’ RCNA convention was held in Ottawa and made possible by the efforts of the Ottawa Numismatic Society, a group that I am a member of and will show incredible bias towards. This group of rough-neck and passionate numismatists were responsible for a fine show.

Steve Woodland and Serge Pelltier were outstanding leaders as their professional military backgrounds rubbed off on how smooth and organized the events were. The volunteers worked hard with heart and soul to provide snacks and drinks, set-up tables, and direct numismatists.

Overall it felt like the show was in a tough spot for a country fella like me. Downtown in the heart of Ottawa, at the Delta City Centre, a stones throw away from parliament was a heart racing experience to get to via car. Navigating construction and a nearby sinkhole cleanup made me miss the target several times. The cost of parking also hurt pretty bad.

The hotel itself was impressive, much like the Halifax excursion. This one felt a bit more busy for its size and saw mixed results as far as hotel staff were concerned. One day service was superb for me, another it was non-existent. Though I was impressed by the rooms and how quiet the halls were. I know several other big events were booked in the hotel simultaneously so I was impressed with that.

Busy Bourse Floor and Packed Club Meetings

The bourse floor was as expected. It was filled, but not booming at the sides. Competitive exhibits were engaging and were difficult to attain a ribbon on. I learned a few hard lessons in my first exhibiting experience and will come back next year with a better game. Several commented to me that it was some of the largest exhibiting they have seen in years.

The setup for the coin kids program was well-led and seemed to have great engagement among youth. I wonder if local children in Ottawa were aware of the opportunity. Parents could have taken advantage of that between visiting parliament and the round of museums. In subsequent years I am looking at how I can engage local media and youth to increase turnout without monetary expense.

The various clubs were ever enjoyable. I ambitiously attempted to attend several, one after another but ended up missing some and having to leave others early. Such is life when you get to meet great friends who you only have the pleasure of seeing once in a calendar year. Moments are precious.

New Clubs were VERY well Attended

This year I started the first annual Hudson’s Bay Company Collectors Society meeting which was well attended by stalwarts in the community. I was really humbled by the caliber of numismatists present and told it was the highest attended. When I was home I tallied 35 signed up. That made me pretty pleased. We received a very well-received review in Canadian Coin News.

I also attended CANEW (Canadian Association Numismatic Editors and Writers), also in its first year and led by Serge Pelltier, responsible for much of the whole weeks’ events. They have some ambitious plans for scholarship that were impressive to say the least.

Next was the Society of Bearded Numismatists or SOB’s. The meeting almost didn’t happen as several of us were confused on which room to go to and who would be there but it ended up being well-attended and much fun among friends. It was filled with the usual mystery and legend surrounding such an obscure fraternal organization.

The Banquet Dinner was Amazing as Usual

And as usual the banquet dinner was the highlight of the week. I had the pleasure of meeting the ANA president Jeff Garrett and listening to an historical reenactor known as Colonel John Bye.

Len Buth (a member of the aforementioned HBCCS) was awarded the J. Douglas Ferguson award. The food was as expected: delicious and gorgeous.

My wife attended with me so the gentleman at my table had quite the conversations going trying to figure out how she was convinced in attending. For all of those curious she attended of her own free-will and had an absolute blast. Keep that in mind when considering inviting your spouses to a coin show or convention. Just be willing to go to the conventions related to their hobbies as well.

It was not until the last day of the show that I ended up making my first purchases. That is always a good sign of the great extra-curricular activities and the stories to share with others. As usual I had more fun learning of what my friends had bought and catching up with a few of what my favorite dealers wanted to show off. Just like in Halifax though I was impressed with the quality and variety of offerings on the bourse.

Will 1820 Northwest Company Tokens Ever be Reclaimed by the Umpqua People?

December 6, 2016 by Scott M.

The story surrounding the discovery of a hoard of 1820 Northwest Company tokens in the Umpqua River Basin is rife with enough treasure hunting elements to excite those even mildly taken by the National Treasure movie series. In the late 1970s a group of metal detectorists came upon an old fur trade kettle, holding a cache of approximately twenty rare tokens. No, they were not gold or silver, but bronze. Nevertheless, their importance and popularity, paired with their immense rarity turned them into instant riches.

Unfortunately – never discussed by collectors – a human skull and bone fragments were reportedly found buried in the same hole as the cache of tokens. In today’s highly sensitive politically correct climate, if the right people found out about that connection, they might seek reclamation. With that in mind, their task might be more difficult than initially imagined.

1820 Northwest Company Tokens are Timeless Historical Artifacts

My first peak at a Northwest Company token in person was at the 2015 RCNA Convention in Halifax. A dealer with nearly a million dollars in mostly Canadian tokens on his table had two in NGC holders. They were professionally restored by NCS and looked absolutely breathtaking. I dared not ask the price. Others were whispering that offers would be accepted just under ten grand. Before then I had relished the opportunity to see one and perhaps hold one. At that price, I was not going to be owning one at any point in the near future.

The initial opportunity to hold one came in a rather lackluster time. I had just moved from Norway House, a First Nations community that was instrumental in the fur trade and is one of the flagships stores for the modern Northwest Company of today. Now it is a grocery chain catered to remote communities across North America. Missing the stories from the elders and exploring the old fur trade posts on my days off work, I was resettling in Ottawa, the nation’s capital. Although historically significant, it lacked the feeling of being in the bush.

Weeks after the RCNA convention I had arranged to meet up with a dealer, who is certainly more of a collector as he has such a hard time letting coins with exceptional stories depart his collection, at any price. He was a mutual friend who was recommended to me for his love of fur trade exonumia and his role in acquiring the famous South Dakota Hoard.

As I was there, inspecting the wonderfully mysterious lead painted, South Dakota pieces, he slid a Northwest Company token over to me. I could not believe it. He pulled it out of the flip, rubbed it with his fingers and handed it to me, insisting I do the same. What a sin for such a valuable and rare example I thought, even though it was heavily corroded, as is expected on these tokens.

It certainly was not a forgery either. I had studied the forgeries of this issue for years, knowing the hallmark differences in appearance, color, and artificial versus authentic damage. Now, I was holding a true example. I smelled it even, instantly recognizing the smell of old wet earth. Sure, this token was dry but nothing had been done to conserve it or prevent further environmental damage. It was truly a raw token! Again, for all those interested he wouldn’t sell. Smart man.

The Northwest Company is Instrumental to Our Understanding of History

Working with Q. David Bowers on his wonderful new book, Lost and Found, I was able to provide some information regarding the Northwest Company that issued the token. Already trained in history from my university education, I was familiar with the sensational fur trade history of North America. When I moved to Norway House, several years later I was immersed in the history of the Northwest Company and had first-hand experience of how the fur trade really worked and how it still works today, on a local level.

The Northwest Company was created as a direct result of the War of 1812. Canadian trappers from the Great Lakes were disallowed the opportunity to trade with their biggest clients, the Americans. The ragtag group of entrepreneurs representing several different European ethnic and religious groups incorporated the Northwest Company in Montreal to increase their efficiency and power to trade.

The Nor westers as the came to be known as were a direct competitor to the more storied Hudson’s Bay Company, challenging them on almost every front, until the two companies were forced to amalgamate in 1820 due to economic changes in the demand for furs in Europe.

In the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Company was largely uninterrupted and according to many sources had free reign to trade with the Umpqua peoples in the region. The Umpqua recognized no federal borders at the time and had no need to. The Northwest Company took full advantage of trading in The United States and Canada, along the world’s longest unprotected border. The Umpqa people flourished economically and socially moving up and down the river to trade in beaver skins. They took advantage of the fur trade just as much as Europeans did.

Cultural Property Ownership is Getting Stricter

In Canada, the rules are much stricter than The United States involving metal detecting. Like it or not, much of what is dug underground (or even above) is the property of the provincial government and is under the custodianship of the digger and landowner.

The United States has much more relaxed laws on the hobby but, has made concerted efforts to protect native ceremonial and funerary relics from diggers, on all federally owned land. The enforcement is much more difficult though. The FBI and U.S. Marshalls have orchestrated numerous sting operations in the last decade, deterring the big ticket items, but it is difficult to deter casual digging, which had been a common family outing only 50 years ago. Never-mind the bone fragments often tossed out of the pottery taken home.

Digging and owning funerary objects is a big deal. It is an almost universal sentiment that the remains of the deceased and their personal belongings should remain with them as a matter of respect to them and their family. No one outside of registered psychopaths wish to unearth corpses and display the contents of a coffin. Oddly enough, the feeling has been historically different regarding indigenous or prehistoric remains.

One often believes that because a culture no longer exists or only exists on a reservation that it is important to display and collect, to share with others, what once was. Although acceptable in certain instances for the sake of education and memory, there are limitations. The body and its burial objects are one such limitation.

In time, sentiments have changed. Who’s Who in Indian Relics, publishes magnificent photos of collections of prehistoric items from North America for collectors to drool over in each of their volumes. No kidding. The content in these books is amazing!

Today, the-of-print hardcovers are highly sought after and expensive references to a field plagued with forgeries. Upon closer examination, the earlier titles exhibit photos of collections with human remains and their collectors proudly displaying them. Today, those same photos would make casual observers cringe. At the same time quite a few collectors might not see the harm in that. Times have really changed.

Whatever your Position it’s Good to be Prepared

Those who originally dug up the hoard of Northwest Company tokens in the late 1950s we really do not know. Further investigation might pinpoint their identity. Is it worth it though? It is likely the recent rise in population reports for this token can be attributed to the casual metal detectorist taking advantage of a bankable find.

The majority of the tokens were sold to a prominent auction house not long after being recovered, one kept as a souvenir, and another gifted to a museum, likely the Fur Trade Museum in Nebraska. For those who originally found them, Federal laws were not in place to prevent the digging at the time. Nothing illegal was done.

Readers might be wondering what the big deal is. Some may have already brushed off this article with the premise that it was a social justice campaign or reparations for tyrannical crimes committed on indigenous peoples. In reality, the article serves as a warning to those who collect these and others like them to be prepared. Times do change, whether we agree or not. Sensitivities are likely to become more amplified. Maintain all paperwork and know where your coin or related item came from if it is of important financial or historical value to you.

My First RCNA Convention: A Review of the RCNA Halifax 2015

February 19, 2016 by Scott M.

Last July I had the privilege of attending my first ever RCNA convention. After living for a few years in an isolated community in Northern Canada, I had few privileged opportunities to engage in meaningful numismatic conversation. When I noticed the opportunity was coming up and my family was destined for an east coast vacation in July I couldn’t pass it up.

I registered for the show in the early spring. I didn’t know how busy the event would be or how stable the reservation prices would be for the hotel. The hotel was the Westin in Halifax. It is right on the harbor with gorgeous views. I highly recommend it if you are ever visiting Halifax. The train station is in the same parking lot, making it an easy stop.

Upon arriving at the hotel I was anxious at seeing all of the early registrations moving about the hotel lobby. They were easily spotted with their name tag lanyards and the typical brief cases and luggage that numismatists use to buy, sell, trade, and just show off their collections. I had not been around so many like-minded people in so long.

Over the last year I had made really great friends with two ambassadors of the RCNA, Bill Kamb and Jeff Chapman. Each pleasantly exchanged emails with me for a whole year before even meeting me in person, sharing decades of collecting advice and encouraging me to attend my first show. It was a pleasure to finally meet them both in person.

When I arrived at the hotel the event had already transpired for several days. The week long convention always starts with wonderful educational symposiums on an array of topics from the respective experts in their fields. Unfortunately my travel plans with family did not allow me to attend them, though I heard great things from the body of collectors present. This year, I won’t miss them!

Of the events that I attended I learned a whole lot. Mr. Kamb had talked me into attending a symposium that discussed the rarity of Newfoundland decimal coins in a given grade. I had never approached the topic before and walked a way all the wiser. The error coin symposium offered a wonderful array of errors and varieties that several collectors willing passed around for us to inspect. Since I collect on a budget, they were a welcome site indeed.

I settled into my room and went over my itinerary. Who would have thought a coin convention would be so well organized with activities? They really took care of us members. I couldn’t believe all of the meetings I was able to attend as well as the access to an exclusive complimentary snack and drink room for members. Apparently, spousal events were also well attended. This year I’m hoping to convince my wife to allow us to make an anniversary celebration out of it. I can dream right?

Two of the greatest amenities that the RCNA provided were a private evening party with the Royal Canadian Mint, hosted at the immigration museum on the water and a ballroom dinner and award ceremony on the last night. Both events were equally loaded with wonderful culinary treats and impeccable service from the hotel staff. It made my most memorable moments of restaurant service pale in comparison to the luxury and assistance I received.

We cannot forget the bourse floor. Honestly, it was no larger than a typical regional or mid-size city convention in terms of available dealers and patrons. It was understandable though as many are busy during the summer months and Halifax can be a long term for many. Nevertheless, there was plenty of inventory and wonderful connections to be made.

In fact, the connections I made were the highlight of the event. Yes, I bought a few coins, namely some Hudson’s Bay Company tokens that I needed for my collection that were undoubtedly under priced. However, the social aspect was worth every dollar I paid.

I met a gentleman who owned a publishing company, interested in one of the catalogs I’m working on. Oddly enough, it is based right outside of my hometown in Ohio. What a strange occurrence. Another dealer shared with me some of his buying experiences at a particularly famous Charles Moore Auction, the namesake of which had just passed away weeks prior to the convention. I even learned a little French from a couple who dealt in numismatic books (my favorite) who struck me as sharing more in common with my American roots.

All together I couldn’t have been more pleased. Some said it was poorly attended and some blamed the economy for fewer sales. Nevertheless, the vast majority of attendees and dealers seemed quite pleased with the event. Really, I have nothing ill to say about it. I used to attend a fair number of local and regional shows when I was younger. I understand the constraints on money, volunteer efforts, and the shrinking demographics in the hobby. For what’s worth, this convention was well worth it.

Just after the convention finished, I moved to Ottawa and was ecstatic to hear that the 2016 RCNA Convention would be in Ottawa. It is hosted by the Ottawa Numismatic Society at the Delta Ottawa City Centre. The event will be hosting more great dinner socials and it looks like the hotel has a wonderful massage package for couples. I think I will turn this one into an anniversary date. I look forward to meeting all of you there!

The Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin Gold Tokens of Flin Flon Manitoba

February 1, 2016 by Scott M.

Flin Flon is an isolated mining town in Northern Manitoba, approximately a six hour drive north of Winnipeg. It takes its fame from the name Flin Flon, which is a shortened version of Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin. The people are prideful for being the only Canadian town named after a character from a science fiction novel.

The town was founded in 1927, like most Northern Manitoba towns based exclusively on mining precious metals. The most common precious metal of Manitoba is nickel. The town lives and dies on copper. So far, it hasn’t died.

Other northern Manitoba towns have not been so lucky. Leaf Rapids and Lynn Lake are two fascinating stories of company towns that were once flourishing but are now in such terrible condition that firefighters have resorted to burning down homes that have been abandoned. Want some cheap real estate? Check those two towns out. You can get a mortgage for $4 a month!

The company of the city is the Hudson’s Bay Mining and Smelting Company. Their history is worth tackling on another topic altogether.

The token issued for the community is known as a Municipal Trade Token. It was issued in 2004 to great acclaim. When I lived in Northern Manitoba (Norway House) I had the pleasure of acquiring my example and was quite pleased to find out that these circulated regularly, being a matter of pride for residents. Of course, many were saved as souvenirs.

Towns make money from municipal trade tokens with the hope that the majority issued will be kept as souvenirs or exit circulation selling to collectors. The town profit in this case, $3 each time one of these is exchanged and exits circulation, minus their production costs.

The majority of the tokens though are meant to take the place of regular circulating money in the community. Municipal trade tokens are a wonderful way for money to stay in the municipality, rather than make its way out to multinational corporations or bigger cities surrounding it. They are remitted for the face value on the coin by most vendors in the community.

The municipality also strikes an expiration date on the coin, usually only one year after issue. If coin holders do not remit the coins before this time they lose their circulating value.

This trade token is a copper-zinc $3.00 denomination which has been plated in gold. According to the City of Flin Flon only 50 of the gold plated issues were minted. The obverse features Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin in his classic prospector pose. The reverse features a miner working underground. I would be curious to find out who that miner is modeled after as it is used on numerous pin and lapel designs for over 30 years.

It has been more than 10 years since the release of this beautiful token and Flin Flon as a city is going strong. Home values remain high and residents remain happy to live in an isolated and severely cold community, with all of the modern amenities of most southern cities. We can only hope that they release another token in the future.

The Hudson’s Bay Company South Dakota Hoard Tokens

July 8, 2015 by Scott M.

The Hudson’s Bay Company tokens and exonumia have always been some of my absolute favorite pieces to collect. Their ruggedly simple design is illustrative of their use in the remote Canadian wilderness. The South Dakota Hoard tokens are no exception. Their story though is one of treasure hunting and full of questions rather than answers.

Celebrated HBC specialist, Greg Ingram first wrote about the discovery of these in January 2010. Since then there has been little discussion and few sales exchanging hands between collectors. They only rarely show up on eBay and I have yet to see a major auction contain one. Though, they are not to be confused with the 1946 Eastern Arctic Set, that does show up quite frequently at auction.

Greg and several prominent HBC collectors hold a complete collection of each denomination. In total there are less than 10 full sets out there in different collections. There are only 25 100 cent pieces, limiting the number of possible sets.

David Mclean still owns the majority of these tokens. I had the pleasure of sitting down with him in the summer of 2015 and learning the story of how he acquired these. Can you imagine the opportunity to purchase a hoard outright, a part of history that no one else knows at that time? David did and Greg was the second highest bidder on eBay. I won’t disclose the price paid, but it was an incredible deal at the time for such a multitude of historic pieces.

More fascinating was getting to hold the dozens of 10 cent pieces all meticulously separated by David into his own strict guidelines for grade and damage. Yes, there were a fair number of damaged tokens in the hoard, but not in the way many would guess. Each token is lead painted (believed to be lead) on the numerals and letters. During the storage of these tokens for the last fifty-some years, humidity interacted with the lead and leaked out into some of the other tokens. In many cases this left some strange patterns and oddities like in the 10 cent piece I acquired from David.

Besides the 100 cent pieces, the 10 cent pieces will be tough to acquire without corrosion or damage. All remaining pieces feature some major problem, notably the paint leaching onto other examples. The 50 Cent examples appear to be almost perfectly pristine. The paint on them is spotless and the reverses are all free of paint or corrosion. The one I purchased from David has a little character, with a small scratch.

So where and why were these tokens used? It’s really unclear like so many tokens and exonumia of The Hudson’s Bay Company, they were produced with local authority. Post managers (known as chief factors) had the authority to produce their own monies (often tokens) or counters in order to satisfy their needs in such remote locations.

This set could have very well been a complementary set to the 1946 Eastern Arctic Set, meant to be used as counters for illustrative purposes, to teach the Inuit the Canadian decimal system for commerce. Maybe it was meant as a circulating medium for a post that was short on Canadian Federal Coinage. Regardless, it does appear that this hoard never circulated, leaving the author to believe, these were meant for use, but something happened that prevented them from circulating.

Off Center Canadian Toonies $2 are Great Affordable Coins

April 21, 2015 by Scott M.

Since the arrival of the toonie – named after the loonie which is the one dollar Canadian coin because of the resting loon on the obverse – the two dollar coin in Canadian circulation 1996, numismatists have been treated to a wonderful array of off center struck examples.

The error on a bimetallic coin – the first in Canadian coinage – has aesthetic appeal in design and size. Sometimes error coins are legitimate errors for collectors, though they are hardly dramatic in appearance or appeal. This coin has that dramatic appeal. When the two pieces to the coin are struck off center by 15-20% the results are stupefying! In fact, one wonders how such a coin could circulate for very long.

Its daily use and necessity in many transactions, especially the vending industry keeps many Canadians using it daily. It helps that Canada did away with the $1 and $2 bill prior to the release of the Toonie.This is a wonderful catalyst for future appreciation of the coin. Demand is soft right now.

The 1996 example, is the most commonly encountered with several hundred million examples struck. Even with so many struck, most collectors would not know that the Royal Canadian Mint has implemented a program to bring the earliest issues out of circulation and remelt them for future manufacture. Through the banks and various efforts, they are pulling many of those so common 1996 examples out of circulation to remelt into later year issues. Other examples such as the Boreal Forest and the Inuit Drummer are becoming even more less likely to be seen in circulation.

As a result of their large monetary value compared to quarters, nickels, and dimes I doubt nearly as many are being saved, aside from the 1996 issue for the novelty of owning the first one. They are also relatively new to the scene. Few Canadian collectors bother with them, choosing to collect the older denominations in the decimal series. Without a youth population to collect these many will go unwanted for the next couple of decades leaving prices low for a buyer’s market.

Right now there is a great opportunity to spot these in circulation but even if you are not patient enough to wait for examples to arise in the secondary market you can pick up a 10-15% off center toonie for $20-50 in extra fine or about uncirculated. Even dramatically off center examples, those which allow light through the exposed portion, are often cheaper than $100.

Later dates have a much smaller mintage but because of the high remelting efforts and few people saving them from pocket change, there is a great opportunity for appreciation in just about every date that features an off center error.

Finally, do not expect to find a financial windfall from those that are less than 5% off center. These examples are within the Royal Canadian Mint’s tolerance for quality control. They are not definable as errors by collectors as they have been inspected and deemed appropriate for circulation in spite of the slight off center core. These are in fact rather common to find.

This wonderful website highlights the different errors and does a wonderful job of confirming post-mint mutilation and hand-made errors that are not authentic.