The two-day National Postage Stamp and Coin Show hosted by Trajan Media, publisher of Canadian Stamp News and Canadian Coin News, will open its doors tomorrow in Mississauga, Ont.
More dealers, a young collector’s table, expanded seminars and an opportunity to have the Canada 150 loonie autographed by its designer are just some of the highlights of the show, which will be held on Oct. 28-29 at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale.
“Since our successful Spring Show, we’ve been working hard to accommodate the waiting list of dealers we had after that show,” said Mike Walsh, managing partner of Trajan Media. “With the additional tables we have added to the front and side entrances, we will have close to 50 coin and stamp dealers who will be there to buy, sell and appraise a wide variety of numismatic and philatelic materials.”
The show will be returning to the Hilton, which had a very successful debut in March.
“Thanks to its central location, bright ballroom and plenty of free parking, the Hilton Mississauga proved to be a hit with our dealers and collectors when we moved our 2017 Spring Show there,” added Walsh.
SEMINARS, PRESENTATIONS & SIGNINGS
The stamp and coin show will also feature a number of insightful seminars on Saturday and Sunday.
Liz Wong, design manager for Canada Post, will be joined by award-winning designer Lionel Gadoury to present a hair-raising journey about the Haunted Canada series.
Long-time error and variety collector and CCN columnist John Regitko will also be giving a revealing presentation, this entitled “Backdoor Jobs from the Royal Canadian Mint.” Regitko will
uncover coin errors that are known to have had help in their production and “escaped” from the Mint undetected, winding up primarily in the hands of one dealer.
Another show highlight will be Wesley Klassen, of St. Catharines, Ont., whose design entry in the Royal Canadian Mint’s Canada 150 circulating coins contest was selected for the $1 coin. Klassen, who called his coin “Connecting Canada,” said he had two inspirations—his love of trains, and the $2 coin commemorating Sir John A. Macdonald.
“It started with a love of trains,” he told Canadian Coin News. “The coin got me to thinking about how Macdonald created the national railway. Then I added in scenes from my boyhood
vacations.”
Klassen will be at the show on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. to autograph the loonie and to speak with collectors.
The Saturday show will also include for the first time a Young Collector’s Table, featuring a variety of coin and stamp materials donated by dealers and collectors that will be given to young and beginning collectors.
MEET THE TRENDS EDITOR
Sunday’s seminars include a “Meet the Trends editor” session with new editor Michael Findlay.
“We are happy Michael has returned to CCN as the Trends’ editor,” says Walsh. “This will not be a formal presentation. Instead, it will be an opportunity for collectors and dealers to have a
casual conversation with Michael regarding any questions they may have about Trends.”
As Findlay has a table at the show, this seminar will start at 9 a.m. outside of the bourse floor in the speaker area.
At 11 a.m. Sunday, Daniel Roettele, senior national sales manager at Lighthouse Canada, will be giving an informative presentation on setting up and using optical aids such as microscopes, ultra-violet lights, watermark detectors and magnifiers.
There will be no auction at the Fall Show; however, Colonial Acres, of Kitchener, Ont., will be presenting a coin and stamp auction at the Spring Show on April 7-8, 2018.
FREE PARKING
Walsh reminds show-goers who are parking at the Hilton not to pay the hotel parking meters.
“Parking is free for everyone who attends our show,” explained Walsh. “But, do not pay the parking meters as the hotel will not issue refunds. Instead, we need you to register your vehicle
licence number at the admission desk.”
The two-day show opens each day at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $3 on Saturday and is free on Sunday. Admission for children under 16 is
free as well.