New Member Likes Canadian Coins

[Woodwind-migration]

Hi all. I just signed up over here after being "across the street" for a while. Many of the names look familiar, and I've met a few of you at JamminJ's coin party.

 

I live in Whittier which is about 15-20 miles east of Downtown LA but will be moving to San Diego within the next year. That's because I'm getting married in May of next year and my fiance lives down there. Not only does she have a better and more stable job than me, but she owns a condo while I'm just a peon renter.

 

I'm a long time US type coin collector, though I'm looking to complete a set of circulated Walking Liberty Halves. Lately though, I've really been attracted to modern commemorative Canadian coins. The Canadian Mint is coming out with, in my opinion some of the best looking modern coins available. I find them beautiful, and nicely detailed. I just purchased the stamp and coin sets of the loon, polar bear, grizzly bear and moose and I can't stop looking at them. I'll probably order a few more Canadian coins soon.

 

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else shares my feelings of Canadian coins, or if you have a differing opinion. I won't be offended if you do.

[JamminJ]

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else shares my feelings of Canadian coins, or if you have a differing opinion. I won't be offended if you do.

 

Nice to see you over here!

 

OK, you asked for it! Personally, I'm not all that fond of the modern RCM stuff - with a few exceptions. In addition to the fact that my interests in coins center around the history surrounding them, the main problems with the RCM is that there's just too much stuff and too much of it is gimmicky. By gimmicky I mean oddball denominations like eight dollars, hologram stuff, dubious anniversaries like 90th, and weird commems like "Year of the Older People."

 

The bad stuff out of the way, there are a few things from Canada I do like. The 90th anniversary coins of Canada's first coinage, while they should have waited for 100, are quite attractive. The Victory nickel restikes are also attractive and commemorate a worth event. I also like the toning which occurs on some of their cases silver dollars.

 

I hope Shiroh sees this thread as he's a big RCM fan. But in any event it your collection and if you enjoy it that's all that really counts.

 

-JamminJ

[Woodwind-migration]

the main problems with the RCM is that there's just too much stuff and too much of it is gimmicky. By gimmicky I mean oddball denominations like eight dollars, hologram stuff, dubious anniversaries like 90th, and weird commems like "Year of the Older People."

 

Actually, I can agree with that. It's as if they are a little too ambitious. While they do put out sets and coins I would like to own, there are plenty of RCM items I'm not really interested in, at least for the prices that they and the secondary market charges.

[shirohniichan]

Their recent coins that interest me most are the ones with First Nations (i.e. "Native American") designs. I've long been fond of Haida, Tsimshin, and other art, so the 1997 Haida mask $200 gold coin was right up my alley. The 2000 "Mother and Child" $200 coin is also nice. A faux-soapstone case was available to house the set of four coins with First Nations designs issued between 1997 and 2000, and it helps make the ugly coins of 1998 and 1999 look nicer than they are.

 

I have a love-hate relationship with the RCM. Their worst packaging travesty has the be the "Centre Ice Loon" (basically, it's a slightly modified loon dollar in a commemorative book). All that packaging for one ordinary-looking coin?!

 

My Canadian collection from George V's reign continues to grow slowly. Our neighbors to the north have some great looking coins, and they're still relatively inexpensive compared to most US coins when you consider their scarcity.

[GDJMSP]

Howdy - welcome aboard Not a fan of Canadian myself - but that's why they make so many different kinds

[TomB]

I like regular issue Canadian business strikes, however, their NCLT coins leave me cold. Whereas the US NCLTs are simply awful and pitiful, their Canadian counterparts are fanciful and look more like round art bars. Neither do it for me.

[MSD61]

Welcome! I have just started really gettting into Canadian coins myself. I got into PL sets because I wanted one of my birth year and it took off from there. Now I have started a run of PL sets. I am also begining to appreciate the large copper cents as well. There is a little bit of everything in collecting Canadian coins for everybody.

[the_Thing ®]

[spiny]

How about Fiji?