Specimen Canadian Large Cents

bosox · April 11, 2026 8:08PM

I was going through some old files on my computer and ran across the digital poster shown below. I made it for myself several years ago when I wrote my book on specimen Canada large cents. It shows my registry set of specimens, as defined by PCGS, which is still the #1 set.

https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/canadian-federation/canadian-cents/canadian-large-cents-specimens-1858-1912/alltimeset/165324

I thought I would share the poster here.

pruebas · April 11, 2026 9:29PM

I love nice copper! Fantastic!

What is the reason for the seemingly random dates?

Why were these struck?

bosox · April 11, 2026 9:42PM

It's complicated. They were struck for several different reasons, and there are no specimen strikings for many of the normal circulating dates. The RCNA will be happy to sell you a copy of my book which explains it all in detail.

https://rcna.ca/book/index.php

pruebas · April 11, 2026 10:16PM

I already bought it! Unfortunately it’s still in my “to read” pile….

Syracusian · April 12, 2026 12:10AM

Is the medal gold Rob?

bosox · April 12, 2026 12:17AM

No, just plated.

syl · April 12, 2026 6:12AM

Well, we all get to see what some of us have only seen in singular fashion. As always, Rob, a person needs sunglasses to review your coins.

bosox · April 12, 2026 6:17AM

The slightly longer answers to the @pruebas questions are: only some are "normal" presentation specimens; some are trials and patterns; some are re-strikes for display at exhibitions; some are cabinet pieces for the Royal Mint Museum and British Museum; and some are Heaton salesman samples.

For example, 1881H has three types of specimen cents. Some were struck by Heaton for dignitaries and collectors. Others were probably Heaton salesman samples. One was a Royal Mint trial struck before sending the punches to Heaton. The three types were struck by different die pairs. As I said, it is complicated.

Many dates have no specimen strikings. Some dates only exist in museums. The PCGS defined registry set generally only includes the dates where a PCGS graded coin is available for collectors, but a couple of those (1898H and 1912) only have two known pieces extant.

1960NYGiants · April 12, 2026 6:27AM

Always a pleasure to view these, Rob. Thanks for posting.

Heritage has one coming up for auction:

https://coins.ha.com/itm/canada/canada-victoria-specimen-cent-1858-sp65-brown-pcgs-/a/3132-32173.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

CNPC also has these nice Provincial pieces:

https://auctions.canadiancoinsandpapermoney.com/auction/251/the-prominence-sale-xiv-major-sale/session/542/lot/112

https://auctions.canadiancoinsandpapermoney.com/auction/251/the-prominence-sale-xiv-major-sale/session/542/lot/114

bosox · April 12, 2026 6:52AM

Gene, I saw those but am probably not bidding on them. The HA 1858 (die pair OA4/RC23) I already have in 65RB.

Did you notice the Heritage piece has a minor cracked planchet, which is relatively common for these thin pieces?

1960NYGiants · April 12, 2026 7:21AM

I saw the scratch by C of Canada and what looks like a die crack at the dot between Canada and Regina. Looking closer at the rim, it could be a cracked planchet.

CNPC also has a very nice 1911/12 Specimen Set with original box. It includes the minors and gold.

bosox · April 12, 2026 7:24AM

The line by the dot is a planchet crack. It goes through to the reverse.

The 1911/12 set is very rare.

syl · April 12, 2026 8:45AM

Why would a specimen have broken vine/stem at 13?

bosox · April 12, 2026 8:55AM

They took a later die (RC23) and polished it up to be a specimen die. They re-engraved a few of its leaf stems, but not the vine breaks. All the presentation 1858 specimen cents were struck by RC23. Only the early trial cents were struck by full vine reverse dies (Dies RA1 and RA3).

coinkat · April 12, 2026 2:17PM

Wonderful examples

PhilArnold · April 13, 2026 10:54AM

Beautiful set

Specimen Canadian Large Cents

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