WHY are you guys calling Canada "the Dark or Gray " side

YQQ

Is it because you do not like our coins?(

OR because you 'KNOW" your coins are "superior"?

Just wondering in writing......

Dentuck

It's not only Canadian coins that are called "The Dark Side" --- it's all "world" (i.e., non-United States of America) coins, and on this forum it includes tokens, medals, and other exonumia, as well.

Dentuck

I think it's akin to an oppressed group taking ownership of the language of their oppressor as a way of empowerment.

When 99.99% of mainstream-numismatic news coverage and conversation revolves around Buffalo nickels, Morgan dollars, Silver Eagles, and the like, it's fun to tempt collectors over to "The Dark Side"!

TwoKopeiki

All of the world coins are "Darkside"

Canada, due to it's proximity to US (known as Lightside) is thus known as Grayside

sumnom

It's a term of endearment and empowerment, as the others have noted. There are many of us Yanks here that really like Canadian coinage, myself among them. It is not a major collecting focus for me (yet) but I think Canada has produced some of the most beautiful coinage in the world.

sumnom

I might also note that we sometimes spell "Lightside" as "Liteside" for reasons that should be apparent...

YQQ

Thanks guys... I thought it was sort of a negative reference.
am glad it is not.
Good coins here are probably very under valued and are still reasonable bargains.
With good coins, I do not at all mean the absolute Junk the RCM is putting into circulation. ( anything from yellow snakes to 17 dollar coins...lolololo)
Good coins are real collectors coins, lets say from 1966 back to 1858, provinces included.
Have a great day
H

TwoKopeiki

H, I agree with you that bargains are still to be had with earlier Canadian coinage. I think it's due to a relatively small collector's base in Canada and US.

Are you coming to Hamilton or Toronto shows in the next few weeks?

MadMarty

I love the Darkside, they have cookies!!!!!

Stork

Okay, someone's got to have the old links....I'm not sure I can find them, but yes, world coins are Darkside! Grayside I have seen variously linked to either Canada or else non-coin numismatics like medals, tokens and that sort of thing.

And yes Marty, we have cookies.

I even have a t-shirt somewhere in storage.


Cathy

edited to add: linkage and buried in one of these, Askari, Sorcerer of the Darkside makes an appearance...I'll keep looking...

TwoKopeiki

It's true about the cookies!

OldEastside

I guess we could call them the "Aye" side, aye

Steve

theboz11

Those that collect medals are refereed to as the "Farside".

SaorAlba

And there are those of us that like Canadian women enough to marry one of them!

JamesMurray

<< <i>I might also note that we sometimes spell "Lightside" as "Liteside" for reasons that should be apparent... >>



That's how ive always looked at the term

DBSTrader2

OK, I edited myself, as my original response here looking for help updating our collections with more recent circulating dates really belonged in the Darkside BST board....... suffice it to say we'd appreciate any help/trading partners who are interested, and please visit my post on the other forum!

Thanks!

That said, let me reiterate that my sons & I just LOVE Canadian circulating coinage designs!

- - Dave

YQQ

TwoKopeiki
does the Lady come with the cookies? ( I could Pm you my address...lolololo)
No Eastern shows for me at this time.
It is just not worth it for me.
I live on Vancouver Island....( daffodils are sticking their heads up already), so it is not exactly easy.

YQQ

just for fun,
here is , I think, one of the rarest Canadian coins. I thought you guys would enjoy that.
ICCS graded it as a MS 60... but who cares with rarity like this..
I did own this coin and I sold it to a private collector who does not want to be known.
The story behind it is this:
I purchased it from a small European dealer. he also had a 1966 small beads dollar and a 1948 Silver dollar.
Bought them all 3 as a lot.
lucky me.....
H

DBSTrader2

WOW!!! Canada & New Zealand MERGED in 1985 & nobody told me about it?!

Awesome mule!!!

- - Dave

P.S. YQQ: My brother & I visited Vancouver Island & Victoria back when the Expo was in town, and I can't remember a more beautiful island/city!

YQQ

As far as I know, there are about between 15 and 20 known.

syl

Hello YQQ. I also, at the time being from a number of different sites, thought that "darkside" carried with it illusions of nefarious activity, but it's just folks outside the normal 'I collect US" venue. I always thought that the term "greyside" meant Canadian since our "darkside" touched other site's "whiteside". There are some nice folks here, but I post very little, except when I can assist in my collecting niches.

Kdennison

YQQ:

Yeah, there is some really kitschy crap the RCM is putting out, but I have to admit I LOVE the wildlife silver maples. I have one example of each of the 3 released this year and I just adore them. I love Canadian coins and I want to visit Canada some day soon. I am going to collect the PL/Uncirculated sets and try to get a regular edition set of SMLs as well. The privy marks annoy me, so I am not going to bother collecting those.

I saw somewhere else in this forum a posting about a coin with a favorite ruler. One of my favorite all time coins I own is the Unc. 1935 Voyageur dollar. I love the entire series of Voyageur dollars and day hope to have an example of each (rarities are out of the question though)

giorgio11

<< <i>Thanks guys... I thought it was sort of a negative reference.
am glad it is not.
Good coins here are probably very under valued and are still reasonable bargains.
With good coins, I do not at all mean the absolute Junk the RCM is putting into circulation. ( anything from yellow snakes to 17 dollar coins...lolololo)
Good coins are real collectors coins, lets say from 1966 back to 1858, provinces included.
Have a great day
H >>



I have been buying quite a few top-grade Canadian coins, especially the Mint State silver issues as stated above, from 1967 back to 1858, and am seeing a lot of popularity at the coin shows I do as well as the website buys. These Canadian coins seem awfully underrated compared to their U.S. cousins. Yes, the collector base is small but perhaps larger than expected, and I think it is expanding much more rapidly as well than for the U.S. coins. But as they say, chacun à son goût

giorgio11

1935 Voyageur Dollar MS66 PCGS

lordmarcovan

The FORUM LINGO DICTIONARY can be quite helpful with in-house slang like this.

As mentioned, it's a mark of respect here, though "Darkside" and "Grey" might have more negative connotations elsewhere in the wider world.

Note also that "you suck" is a high compliment here, and is not to be awarded lightly.

Used here, it means, "you got such a good deal on that, it made me jealous and now I hate you, haha".

lordmarcovan

Oh, and since we're posting Greyside coins, I might as well use it as an excuse to trot out my 1901-dated type coins again. Why not?

YQQ

Nice "dark side " stuff for a bright side guy.....
h

lordmarcovan

<< <i>Lord M, nice to see you finally got yourself a 1901 50c. That's a really nice looking coin! >>

Thanks. I've had it for several years, actually, though it's not been in plastic that long. It's probably the lowest graded coin in the 1901 Victoria type set, but I like it anyway. Nice and original. I suppose I might upgrade it one day, but that's a tough coin. It's actually the key coin for my empire-wide type set. Even the Aussie and British 1901 sovereigns are worth less in the better grades.

lordmarcovan

Oh, there is a tangent I do not mind at all (except that it makes me envious).