Monthly Archives: November 2016
Canada 150 an opportunity for collectors to shine
We are just a few months away from 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation. We will probably use that title, since the official name of a 150th anniversary is sesquicentennial, not something that rolls off the tongue. While the peak of the celebration will be tied to July 1, the government has already made it clear that this will be yearlong event. For me, this brings back memories of 1967. I wasn't very old then, but I remember it as a yearlong celebration. It was also, for many of us, the first time we started to express pride in being Canadians, and in Canada as a country. From a collecting viewpoint, 1967 was marked by a pretty awesome coin set, and a not-so-spectacular response from what was then the government post office. Continue reading →
Both classic and modern material hotly contested in Halifax
The highest price of the October Eastern Auctions sale was paid for a set of die proofs of 1875 Registration stamps. The three lots, sold as a single item, realized more than $50,000.
Bidding was strong at two auctions held in Halifax in late October by Eastern Auctions Ltd. The first sale featured collections formed by the late Mel Baron. According to auctioneer Gary Lyon, demand from mail, phone, and floor bidders was strong throughout the sale, with many lots bringing prices well over the estimates. “The section of imperforates was the most complete ever offered,” he said. A set of tete-beche Admiral issue booklet panes sold for $40,250. An imperf pair of the two-cent green Arch issue realized $16,100, while a block of four of the three-cent Medallion die II realized $9,775. Modern issues included an imperforate four-cent Cameo coil strip that brought an astounding $24,150. Continue reading →
