Let’s see your Canadian coins!

asheland · October 12, 2023 10:12AM

I just got this a couple of days ago, it’s a very pleasing example, to me at least.

syl · October 12, 2023 10:27AM

The voyageur dollars were all wonderful coins and usually well struck and a GREAT design. Nice coin!

asheland · October 12, 2023 11:43AM

@syl said:
The voyageur dollars were all wonderful coins and usually well struck and a GREAT design. Nice coin!

I agree and thanks! 👍

asheland · October 12, 2023 11:47AM

I will also post the gold, I’m trying to complete the $5 and $10 set.
All three fives:

Only one $10 so far:

asheland · October 12, 2023 11:49AM

And this sovereign, and that’s about it already outside of some modern stuff.

pruebas · October 13, 2023 5:46AM

What was the nominal value of a Sovereign in Canada back in the day when gold “circulated?” It seems out of place in a decimal system.

carabonnair · October 13, 2023 9:55AM

@pruebas said:
What was the nominal value of a Sovereign in Canada back in the day when gold “circulated?” It seems out of place in a decimal system.

I don't have a reference, but seem to remember it was ½d sterling to 1¢ Canadian, so a sovereign was $4.80. I could be wrong...

SaorAlba · October 13, 2023 1:01PM

D808LF · October 13, 2023 3:21PM

erwindoc · October 14, 2023 6:20AM

These are some of my favorite 25c pieces!

erwindoc · October 14, 2023 6:23AM

Some of my favorite 10c pieces...

asheland · October 14, 2023 2:31PM

Nice coins everybody!

erwindoc · October 15, 2023 11:46AM

Bought these 2 recently...

bosox · October 15, 2023 2:14PM

Sovereigns, even Canadian ones were Imperial coins. Like the Australian mints, Ottawa minted them as one way to monetize the Canadian gold production. Before WWI, one pound sterling = $4.86 and 2/3 Canadian.

pruebas · October 15, 2023 7:53PM

@bosox said:
Sovereigns, even Canadian ones were Imperial coins. Like the Australian mints, Ottawa minted them as one way to monetize the Canadian gold production. Before WWI, one pound sterling = $4.86 and 2/3 Canadian.

That begs the question, why not just monetize the gold with $5 or $10 Federal coins? Why make “Commonwealth coins” (if they could be called that) at all?

What actually happened with Canadian Sovereigns once minted? I can’t imagine that banks wanted them.

bosox · October 16, 2023 8:06AM

I do not think they circulated much. I think the government and the banks used them, and other gold coins, as part of their gold reserves. Banks back then were required to maintain gold reserves for their liabilities, including the banknotes they issued.

The Canadian sovereigns were first minted in 1908 and continued until 1919. I think when they minted $5 and $10 gold coins in 1912 and 1914, many of them went to reserves also, which is why the Bank of Canada "found" many thousands of them in mint state a few years ago.

I can also tell you from other research I have done (I have never looked into the gold specifically, but have some knowledge from osmosis), the Royal Mint correspondence files contain many letters documenting that they periodically sent 10,000, 20,000, or more, British sovereigns to their Dominions and colonies to replenish the gold reserves.

As to what eventually happened to them, I am guessing that many were melted when the world went off the gold standard and gold reserve standards were no longer as stringent. It also would not surprise me if the Canadian or some European government "found" a bunch tomorrow.

asheland · October 16, 2023 11:36AM

One of the sovereigns made its way to my house.

YQQ · October 16, 2023 6:53PM

and some to my house

Let’s see your Canadian coins!

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