Sorta sad when I visit Canada nowadays.

kwmorgan

I can really see the effects of the RCM's culling of pure nickel coinage. Pretty much all change over there now is the nickel plated steel junk
Sad to see the coins I remember as a kid disappearing. Every time I get a pure nickel 5, 10 or 25 cent coin in change it gets saved.

pruebas

I just got back from Canada last week. And I agree. The coins look and feel cheap.

Zoins

I have to say I'm a big fan of the plastic bills....

LochNESS

I have a modest collection of polymer notes from around the world, love them. Great on so many levels. My favorite series is from Australia but Canada has some nice ones, too.

Don't know why but I've always preferred that sort of innovation over the "swarovsky crystal" coins and "colorized" coins. Although I am guilty of owning an RCM hologram Loon from the late 1990s. They had just begun doing holograms and I was blown away by the technological advancement. It's amazingly gorgeous to look at but, it stays in the safe with the bullion.

LochNESS

kwmorgan

Polymer notes are cool. Have an unc $20,$50 and $100 so far. But I do miss the old pure nickel coins.

Have Australia's $5-100 and a couple of centennial 5's I got while being there in 2001.

icelander

<< <i>I can really see the effects of the RCM's culling of pure nickel coinage. Pretty much all change over there now is the nickel plated steel junk >>



The new $1 coins won't work with most coin op machines. And as for the rest, I agree with your sentiments... "junk". I also agree that they have the feel of junk too.

I would guess that most people said the same thing in the 60s when they stopped using silver.

kwmorgan

The nice thing about the pure nickel coins is they reminded that nickel in many ways is "Canada's metal". Most of the nickel came from the mines around Sudbury, Ont. Next best thing to silver.

ProofArtworkonCircs

Does the culling of nickel coins vary from locality to locality?

I have the feeling that a lot of nickel is still circulating in the Maritimes.

icelander

<< <i>Does the culling of nickel coins vary from locality to locality? >>


No, everything gets sucked towards Winnipeg,.. equally.




Please ignore me, im still fuming about all the gold that mysteriously vanished from the Royal Mint at mine and other tax payers expense.

SaorAlba

I am doing my part to deplete circulation of nickel coinage as much as I can. Curiously in all my searching I turn up an occasional Tombac or chromium plated steel from the GVI era.

MacCrimmon

Nickel?

I'm much more sad that I can no longer exchange $100 US for $150 CDN.......

ajaan

<< <i>I'm much more sad that I can no longer exchange $100 US for $150 CDN....... >>


Shut your mouth Mac! Our local economy is driven by Canadian shoppers. We like the 1:1 here.

MacCrimmon

<< <i>

<< <i>I'm much more sad that I can no longer exchange $100 US for $150 CDN....... >>


Shut your mouth Mac! Our local economy is driven by Canadian shoppers. We like the 1:1 here. >>




I well remember my first foray into the land of Canucks; September of 1994...heading for PEI via Montreal to Halifax. During our layover in Mont. I proceeded to exchange a few hundred at Thomas Cooke. Being a neophyte at exchange rates and such, I later discovered old Tom Cooke clipped me. The rate was actually running about 100:136 at the time but with "service fees", etc. I left the window with a mere $131 CDN. Perish the thought.

I later discovered that the banks were paying 135+, and the locals were more than happy to do the deal at 138 (gas station).

By 2000, or was it 2001, it was up to 165..........I felt like a rich man! Now, I'm but a poor church mouse!!!

ProofArtworkonCircs

I remember a brief period a few years back druring a nickel crunch when the Canadian 10 cents and 25 cents were worth nore than face in metal content. The nickel 5 cents still is.

SYRACUSIAN

People who get paid in dollars and spend mostly dollars, don't realize how low the dollar has gone.


In 2003,a year after the launch of the euro, the dollar had overturned he ratio in its favor, so therefore it was 1 USD = 1.20 euros

10 years later, with all the problems that Europe and the euro faced, the ratio is 1 euro = 1.30 USD . As you all know, it climbed even above 1.50 during the decade.

The drachma entered at a steady rate of 340 drs per euro. This made a 2003 dollar worth 410 drs, very close to the highs of 2000.

Today, if I had to calculate a dollar in drachmas it would have been 260 drachmas from 410 13 years ago, and without counting inflation.

I used this example, because Canadian, Australian, yens and even Swiss francs do not tell the whole story since they too devalued their currency.

kwmorgan

<< <i>People who get paid in dollars and spend mostly dollars, don't realize how low the dollar has gone.


In 2003,a year after the launch of the euro, the dollar had overturned he ratio in its favor, so therefore it was 1 USD = 1.20 euros

10 years later, with all the problems that Europe and the euro faced, the ratio is 1 euro = 1.30 USD . As you all know, it climbed even above 1.50 during the decade.

The drachma entered at a steady rate of 340 drs per euro. This made a 2003 dollar worth 410 drs, very close to the highs of 2000.

Today, if I had to calculate a dollar in drachmas it would have been 260 drachmas from 410 13 years ago, and without counting inflation.

I used this example, because Canadian, Australian, yens and even Swiss francs do not tell the whole story since they too devalued their currency. >>



Since we're still the major reserve currency, to me gold is the best barometer of our currency debasement. Our inflation of the money supply and rise in gold prices pretty much go in locked step.

TwoSides2aCoin

I have an ex g/f in Canada, but I really miss Tim Horton's


God save the queen.

ajaan

<< <i>I have an ex g/f in Canada, but I really miss Tim Horton's >>


You can't throw a rock around here without hitting a Timmy Ho's. They are located in many Mobil stations now.