Please note that these articles are from electronic backup files and may not be exactly as the final printed versions.
Why Not Nominate a Qualified C.N.A. Member for the Award “Fellow, C.N.A..”
Why not nominate a qualified C.N.A. member you know personally or know of his work and efforts on behalf or numismatics, for the award “Fellow, Canadian Numismatic Association.”
The criteria for the award as defined by the C.N.A. are as follows. “The award is to be given to any member who has contributed to the hobby, in an outstanding manner, during the year under consideration. This would cover members who have worked very hard to promote numismatics, in general, or who have otherwise given outstanding service to the hobby as a whole, could also be recognized in this manner.”
The award consists of a certificate and a lapel pin with the C.N.A. logo in colour and “Fellow” below. The award is presented at the banquet held each summer, as part of the annual C.N.A. Convention.
The following C.N.A. members have received the award Fellow, C.N.A. (the year they received the award is in brackets):
John Regitko (1991) Jerry Remick (1991)
Yvon Marquis (1992) Bill Waychison (1992)
Ken Prophet (1993) Earl Salterio (1994)
Tom Kennedy (1996) Barry Uman (1996)
Paul Johnson (1997) Al Munro (1997)
The award was not presented in 1995.
A nomination for the award Fellow, C.N.A. can come from any C.N.A. member or C.N.A. club with a comprehensive report to support the nomination. It should reach Tim Henderson, Chairman of the Awards and Medals Committee, by April 30th of the year in which the award will be presented. Write: Tim Henderson, General Delivery, Florenceville, NB, E0J 1K0. Nominations of C.N.A. members for the award of Fellow, who do not receive the award, may be made again for the following year, as the nomination is only valid for the year in which the award is to be presented.
“Fellow, C.N.A.” is an excellent way to reward a C.N.A. club member in your area for his outstanding work in promoting our hobby.
The writer suggested this award to the C.N.A. Executive in 1989, who approved it in 1990 at the Vancouver Meeting.
The Canadian numismatic community has suffered a great loss with the passing of Sheldon Carroll, LM1 on February 3, 1998. A memorial service was held on February 6 at the West Chapel of the Hulse, Playfair & McGarry on Woodroffe Avenue in Ottawa. A memorial service and interment will be held in Norwich, ON this spring (date to be announced). In lieu of flowers the family had requested donations to a charity of one’s choice. With some certainty, I am sure that I can say that the executive of the association is already working on a suitable permanent tribute or recognition for Major Carroll’s contributions to the numismatic community. Your thoughts and ideas would be greatly appreciated. If we can work quickly, such a tribute could be in place for the convention this summer in Edmonton. It will certainly be a different convention without his presence.
The response from our members to my request for articles has been overwhelming. Thank you, but don’t stop now, we always need material. To those who have sent a submission in the last month or so, don’t be discouraged if you didn’t find it in this issue, there’s always next issue or the issue after. We’ll get them all in (this is not a money back guarantee, we can’t publish unprintable material) sooner or later. In the mean keep the submissions coming, there are a lot of great stories out there, let’s make sure everyone has a chance to hear them.
Marvin Kay recently told me about a little something different they did at the North York coin club meeting. Remembering that numismatists are people first, and with varying other interests as well, they invited the members to bring, exhibit and tell about their other hobbies and interests. They had a great time at the meeting and apparently the Toronto club is hosting a similar meeting in the near future.
Sounds like fun.
In closing, I’d like to wish a warm welcome to Don Atanosoff, the new editor of the Ontario Numismatist. For those who don’t remember, Don served the coin community for several years in the late eighties as the editor of Canadian Coin News. I am sure the members of the ONA will be well served with Don working diligently on the Ontario Numismatist. From what I remember Don really likes to golf, so everyone should make their submissions during summer months and help keep him off the local golf courses. Good luck Don.
More Nominations Are Needed for the Jerome H. Remick III Literary Award
Very few nominations have been received each year, since the first award was presented in July 1995 at the annual C.N.A. Convention. The award is presented for the best article appearing in a newsletter or bulletin published during the previous year by a municipal coin club, which is a member of the C.N.A. So, articles published in 1997 are eligible for the 1998 award to be presented at the annual C.N.A. Convention, held this year in Edmonton.
The winner of the award does not have to be a C.N.A. member, but the club publishing the winning articles must be a C.N.A. member. There is no age limit for an author.
Articles appearing in regional or national numismatic periodicals such as The Ontario Numismatist or The CN Journal are not eligible. However, the winning article may appear in a regional or national periodical after it appears in a publication by a local coin club. This gives a better chance for a collector on the local level to be acknowledged for his article.
The award was suggested to the C.N.A. Executive, who approved it in 1994. Jerry paid for the award itself. at present a reserve of 47 boxed medals is held by Ken Prophet, Executive-Secretary of the C.N.A..
The award consists of a certificate and a two inch antiqued copper medal in a deluxe blue “velvet” presentation case. One side of the medal shows the C.N.A. logo, with space under the Voyageur canoe for the name of the winner, the year and other data.
The other side shows a portrait of Jerry Remick and the name of the award in English and in French around the outer part.
The following collectors have received the award (the year they received the award in brackets):
Guy Veillette (1995); Domonic Labbe (1996); Jean Luc Giroux (1997)
All three collectors reside in the Province of Quebec. Their winning articles were published in English and in French in The CN Journal, shortly after each person received his award.
Anybody can nominate another person’s article (even his own article) for the “1998 Jerome H. Remick III Literary Award”, by sending the article to Tim Henderson, Chairman of the Awards and Medals Committee by April 30th of this year.
I urge editors of Canadian coin club bulletins and newsletters to send a copy of one or two of their 1997 club publications, containing what they consider to be the best article or articles.
Please send nominated articles to Tim Henderson, General Delivery, Florenceville, NB, E0J 1K0.
Portraits of Great Canadians Should Appear on the Reverse Side of the 50¢ Coin, Starting in the Year 2000
Portraits of deceased great Canadians, who have accomplished something great in their lifetime’s work, should appear on the reverse side of the 50¢ coin, starting in the year 2000.
There is a good choice of Canadian over-achievers in all fields of endeavour including: exploration, sports, painting, sculpting, writing prose or poetry, building of Canada, politics, science, medicine, military, inventing, business, architecture, music and many more fields. Great Indians and Inuits should be included.
Since 1996, Australia has shown two great Australians on their bank notes, one on either side, with one denomination being reserved for the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. In their current series of bank notes, both New Zealand and Slovenia show great deceased citizens of their country. For many years now, the Bank of Canada has been seriously considering replacing the portraits of our Prime Ministers with those of great Canadians on their next series of bank notes.
Four 50¢ coins, picturing four great Canadians, could be issued yearly for a decade or more in Proof condition in silver and in a less expensive metal, such as gold plated nickel in Unc. condition. It would be great to issue these coins also in nickel at face value, but I fear this is not possible.
A bilingual leaflet, folded in four, giving a resume of the accomplishments and life of the four Canadians pictured on that particular year’s series of four 50¢ coins, could accompany each series of four coins. Thus, people would know about the four persons pictured on any year’s four coins and so gain a better understanding of their accomplishments and lives.
A small committee of historians and others could be appointed to draw up a list of great Canadian over-achievers to be honoured on our 50¢ coin and the Royal Canadian Mint could make the final choice for the four Canadians to be so honoured each year.
Such a series of 50¢ coins would inform Canadians and those living elsewhere of the people who contributed in a more than ordinary way through their lifetime’s work to making Canada what it is today and in some cases to the betterment of people everywhere.
More black ink for 1997 at the Mint. Our recently received annual report the RCM showed sales up 34% with profits increasing to 3.9 million from 1.5 million in 1996. Much of this can be attributed to foreign circulation coin sales increasing by 75% and Canadian numismatic sales were up 30% increasing to 4.3 million coins from 3.3 million in 1996. The tables below indi¬cate the coinage volumes produced by date, and cannot be used to precisely determine the value of numismatic sales in any par¬ticular year. For the bullion collectors total gold maple leafs increased to 543,341 ounces from 219,848 in 1996. 12,913 ounces were sold in $50 Guaranteed value issue.
CUMULATIVE CANADIAN CIRCULATING COINAGE (000's)
|
Dated |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
1994 |
1993 |
|
$2 |
16,942 |
375,483 |
|
|
|
|
$1 |
- |
17,101 |
41,813 |
40,406 |
33,662 |
|
50¢ |
387 |
458 |
626 |
987 |
393 |
|
25¢ |
|
28,106 |
89,210 |
77,670 |
73,758 |
|
10¢ |
42,882 |
51,814 |
123,875 |
145,800 |
135,569 |
|
5¢ |
26,573 |
36,686 |
78,780 |
99,352 |
86,877 |
|
1¢ |
506,928 |
445,746 |
624,983 |
639,516 |
808,585 |
CANADIAN NUMISMATIC COINAGE
|
Dated |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
1994 |
|
Platinum Coin Set |
413 |
675 |
569 |
766 |
|
Proof Platinum 1/2 oz. |
116 |
196 |
193 |
- |
|
Proof Platinum 1/10 oz. |
469 |
910 |
523 |
|
|
$200 Gold |
10,020 |
8,047 |
9,579 |
10,655 |
|
$100 Gold |
14,030 |
19,744 |
18,195 |
17,603 |
|
Silver Aviation Ser. II #1 |
- |
|
17,438 |
- |
|
Silver Aviation Ser. II #2 |
- |
|
17,722 |
|
|
Silver Aviation Ser. II #3 |
|
18,508 |
|
- |
|
Silver Aviation Ser. II #4 |
|
27,163 |
|
- |
|
Silver Aviation Ser. II #5 |
14,389 |
|
- |
|
|
Silver Aviation Ser. II #6 |
15,669 |
|
|
|
|
$1 Proof (925 Ag) |
177,428 |
133,779 |
166,259 |
178,485 |
|
$1 Brilliant Uncirculated |
152,167 |
58,834 |
61,819 |
65,295 |
|
Proof Set |
107,628 |
112,835 |
101,560 |
104,482 |
|
Special Edition Proof Set |
|
- |
49,802 |
49,222 |
|
Specimen Set |
92,135 |
62,125 |
77,326 |
75,973 |
|
Uncirculated Set |
149,783 |
120,217 |
143,892 |
141,676 |
|
Baby Unc. Set |
51,424 |
56,618 |
36,443 |
|
|
Oh Canada! Unc Set |
76,826 |
31,083 |
50,927, |
18,794 |
|
Rem. & Peace proof $1 |
|
|
43,293 |
66,001 |
|
Fifty Cent Proof |
153,432 |
206,552 |
172,377 |
|
|
$2 Gold Coin |
- |
5,000 |
- |
- |
|
$2 Proof Piedfort & note set |
|
11,526 |
|
- |
|
$2 Proof Coin |
|
65,230 |
|
|
|
$2 Uncirculated Coin |
|
74,669 |
- |
- |
|
$2 Proof Coin & note set |
|
27,117 |
|
- |
|
$2 Unc Coin & note set |
|
91,427 |
|
- |
|
100 silver proof coin |
49,774 |
- |
- |
|
|
10th Anniv. Silver Proof $ |
24,975 |
|
- |
- |
At first, I anticipated writing a long critique on the upcoming Centsation! program. But, I’ll restrict myself to a just a few comments. Launched recently by the RCM, with an enormous media budget, print, radio, television. Why not advertise it well, these programs are extremely lucrative from a revenue standpoint. Remember the Canada 125 program, 12 quarters, a new loonie, 168 million coins and nary a one left in circulation. Now, not all the profits accrue to the Mint, our minister of finance cash flow is greatly improved. Imagine, two years, 24 coins, 350 million quarters.
It’s easy to be a skeptic, these programs are great for the coin business, inexpensive to collect, great exposure for numismatics, et all and certainly to create an pletheura of little boards to stick them all in. Hopefully, we won’t be bored to death of millennium marketing campaigns by the time the last quarter is issued.
On more recent numismatic issues, I should read my press releases. As I looked around this morning trying to formulate some strategy for making sense in this column I came upon a fine stash of important convention information tucked neatly away in the Edmonton Coin Club newsletter. A little tip guys, make things easy for us editors, we’re busy (or lazy) and the most visible and easiest things get used first.
Left is the winning design for the 1998 C.N.A. Convention medal. The design is based on a photograph taken by Eric A. Hegg in 1898 of the White Pass & Yukon railway. The scene depicts the narrow gauge engine in front of the only tunnel on its trip from Skagway, Alaska to Lake Bennet in the Yukon.
The first two photos on the right, are the obverse and reverse of the first known bi-metallic token issued by a coin club. Issued by the Edmonton Numismatic Society to commemorate their hosting of the 1998 C.N.A. convention and their 45th anniversary. The tokens are $8.00 ea.
The bottom two images (right), designed by John Callaghan, Michael Schneider and Dan Gosling are a 1998 Convention wood commemorating, the convention, their 45th anniversary and 100 years of the Klondike route. The woods are .75¢ each. Contact the Edmonton Numismatic Society, P.O. Box 75024 , Ritchie P.O., Edmonton, AB T6E 6K1 to order them.
So another C.N.A. Convention has come and gone. So, so what. Well, if you just didn't make it out you missed a great one. The folks at the Edmonton Numismatic Society did a great job, Dan and Mike, and the whole gang should take a bow.
This was my ninth straight convention, having waited unfortunately until I bought Canadian Coin News, to attend one and the large crowds on the bourse floor were great to see. The RCM worked hard all week to help the Society promote the show to the general public and they brought out a large number of new faces that had never seen the likes of a coin show before.
Did these people buy anything, who knows? But, at least the world of numismatics was introduced to them in a brief way. Maybe they walked the floor and perused the various dealers wares. Maybe they wandered through the exhibits and noticed Lionel Cohn's great non-competitive exhibit on Gold, it was well worth seeing. Maybe they took a few moments and discussed counterfeits and forgeries with the RCMP.
Anyways, they did come out and hopefully they left with more knowledge than, where is the RCM's ballot box, in their effort to win a .9999 gold wafer. Maybe they entered the Centsation program and submitted a design for the upcoming coins or maybe it was the joi de vivre of the Time Traveller (often masquerading as Pierre Morin) who inspired them to enter through the doorway and check out a coin show.
Whatever it was, we need more of it. Tomorrows collectors are the future. We all need to participate in Coin Month Canada, to introduce our friends to the joys of coin collecting and to encourage juniors and newcomers to discover wonderful history and beauty concealed within the world of numismatics.
If you enjoy the hobby of coin collecting, have you ever wondered what it would take to have the most fun, challenge and enjoyment possible. Consider the following steps to Numismatic Heaven without the dying part.
Join!
If you are reading this editorial then you are already part way there. How about joining a local or regional club? Don’t forget the Canadian Paper Money Society or any of the other Canadian specialty organizations: CMNS, CTCCC, or CAWMC. Further afield is the American Numismatic Association or the ANS.
Attend!
Coin collecting is so much more than buying a coin from a dealer and keeping it in your drawer at home. Make a commitment to attend each and every local club meeting and C.N.A. convention. Prioritize your holiday time and budget so as to include the C.N.A. Annual Convention regardless of where in Canada it is being held.
Take part!
During events such as the C.N.A. Annual Convention take part in the club delegtates breakfast, the NESA Educational Forum, the C.N.A. General Meeting and the banquet.
Not only will you increase your knowledge of numismatics but also your knowledge of numismatists. The post banquet reception is one of the finest opportunities you will ever have to meet and talk one on one with important numismatic personalties. At the 1994 Hamilton C.N.A. reception the question posed to me was “how about hosting the C.N.A. in Edmonton in ’98?” With some encouragement from Marvin Kay and Ted Woods, the rest is history.
Accept the Challenge!
When someone suggests that you do something, do it to the best of your ability. Ask others how to do it better. Try new ideas, but listen to the wisdom of the past. Look at the results that people like Paul Johnson have accomplished after pursuing an idea (NESA Correspondence Course). One of our committee volunteers at Edmonton, John Callaghan, always sought out additional tasks to make our Convention the best success it could be.
The challenge you accept could be a one time thing, so do your best.
Enjoy the moment!
Being involved in a numismatic related task such as hosting a C.N.A. convention means endless hours of planning, organizing, coordinating, fretting, working in other words – FUN! If luck goes your way (and your volunteers do what you ask) you might be fortunate enough to receive praise for your efforts. If you are very fortunate you will receive endless praise, gifts of coins and tokens, the respect of your peers and those famous numismatists that you met at the post banquet receptions. I would like to thank every one that helped make C.N.A. ’98 a success.
Oh what a wonderful life!
It appears that one of the finest summers (at least in these parts) is at an end and as we pack our golf shirts and shorts away for the winter it just might be time to think about getting involved in some numismatic activities over the long, cold winter months.
Dan Gosling, bless his soul for running a great convention and for sparing me the agonies of authoring a column last month, provided a great column on getting involved in numismatics. Now, I'm urging you to follow up and get some of these things written down in your daytimer.
Write down that date for the local coin club meeting, if you don't know about a local coin club, call (and he's going to hate me for this) Ken Prophet, here at the C.N.A. for the coin club nearest you. He does have a list or call me, the folks at Canadian Coin News publish a list every year in their Coin and Stamp Collecting Guide.
Get out to a coin show, there are lots coming up this fall and at least one has to be somewhere near you. If you live in the Toronto area sign up today for the C.N.A./NESA Advanced Canadian Numismatic Course or if you're out of town and haven't gotten to it yet, take the correspondence course. There's info on both in this issue of the Journal.
Maybe you're just getting a little tired of collecting, or short on money with decimal issues. Try something new, get a good book on ancients or colonial tokens, you'll find that starting a collection in these areas is not as expensive as you would think and a lot of fun to boot.
Planning a weekend in Toronto, try to tie it in with a trip to the Torex show in February or heading to Florida in January why not plan to get out to the FUN show in Orlando. Where ever you go, its easy to add a little numismatic side trip. It can be fun.
Spend a little computer time on numismatics, there are some great web sites to peruse on the net, Numismatic Network Canada - www.nunetcan.net is just one and you'll find there are more great sites. The ANA has a great site at www.money.org. Look'em up lots of them.
Anyways, as the days get shorter and colder, it's a great time to get re-acquainted with your collection. Heck, I may even finish sorting my tokens once I'm done the long list of attributions I need to finish first.
Get ready for the Year 2000 Liquidity Crunch: Prepare for Contingency - Prepare for Profits or so I'm told by the recent video landing on my desk from the Platinum Guild International. They claim that evidence offered by recent events argues that if Y2K problems cause banking liquidity problems, the security of precious metals will be fundamental to survival in a potential "barter economy".
Of course, they strongly recommend platinum over gold and silver as we sell our real estate, bonds and equity stocks to invest heavily in precious metals over this transition period.
Move to a defensive portfolio, it advises, as stocks will plummet 30% in the next twelve months. Of course, a defensive portfolio contains 35% cash assets with most of that being precious metals. What a boom for coin dealers as throngs of cash laden consumers bang down the doors to purchase gold, silver and of course, platinum coins. All I hope is that my grocery store will accept them for a few loaves of bread and a quart of milk.
Who knows, what will unfold with the new millennium, but it appears the doomsayers are already prophesying economic disaster far greater than the great depression. I'm just surprised that a professional organization such as the Platinum Guild has taken this approach to marketing its wares.
Speaking of crunches and this one is real. There is the great Journal Crunch of 1999. This crunch being an enormous lack of material for our upcoming issues. The last few issues have been a desperate struggle for quality stories to fill this book. We need your help today. Send us your research, your stories, articles on your favorite coin, your comments, your letters, and news on your coin club or activities. Help us out here. The more the merrier as we head into 1999 and on to the new millennium. Thanks.