About Us

Hi;

I have been enjoying the hobby of numismatics (coin collecting) for more than forty years. My collecting started with Canada small cents and nickels that I could find in change. It did not take long for my brother and I to start visiting the local coin shop. This is where we saw our first five cent silver, and learned the story of the Victory nickels.

The Victory nickels were produced during world war two, first in brass (tombac) then in chromium plated steel. The reverse edge has Morris Code for, "we win when we work willingly".

A year or so later coin collecting became exciting for everyone in Canada as it was 1967. In 1967 Canada turned a hundred years old. To commemorate this event special coins were struck, and a commemorative bank note was also printed. All the 1967 coins had the same obverse with Queen Elizabeth II designed by Arnold Machin. The reverse was different for each coin as follows: 1c - dove, 5c - rabbit, 10c - mackerel, 25c -cougar, 50c - howling wolf, $ - Canada goose. A special $20 gold piece was struck containing over a half an ounce of gold. The $20 gold piece showed the coat of arms of Canada on the reverse. All the twenty dollar gold pieces were struck as specimens. To date this is one of my favorite coins produced by Canada, with a mintage of 250,000 they usually sell for 10% over melt.

The Centennial Bank note had the Centennial symbol added to the front of a 1954 modified style bank-note. The back of the 1967 note has the parliament buildings as they appeared before 1900.

I can still remember the day my brother and I saw the 1967 specimen set with the twenty dollar gold piece. The set cost $40.00. I asked my father to buy it for me, however, he refused. It wasn't until 1975 when I was finished high school that I was able to afford to purchase two 1967 gold sets for $280.00. I kept every coin I ever purchased until 1979. During 1979 I was attending York University, being short on money I decided to sell one of my 1967 gold sets. I walked into a store in downtown Toronto, and was promptly paid $390.00 for this set! The price was quite a surprise to me but was most welcome. The next year I sold a 1917 5c for $35.00 that had cost me $17.00 in 1975, and the second gold set brought $290.00. After realizing the profit that could be made in coins. I decided to buy and sell more coins in the future. Currently I am collecting Royal Bank of Canada notes; and Ships, Colonies & Commerce tokens.

Any comments are welcome.

Regards, Andrew McKaig