Wonder Who Gets Number 1

I indeed live in Ottawa and I have gone to the RCM Boutique many times on the first day that a coin comes out. They usually don't have the coins right away or when they do, the certificate numbers are not lower than the ones you get through mail orders.

For the low numbers I have, I would say that I paid an average of 15 % above the regular price.

About the Jacques-Cartier $20: I bought it from a dealer in Quebec who, I had been told, had obtained the exclusive distribution rights of all the 1,534 coins from the RCM. The low certificates are autographed by J. Marsdon, the coin designer. I saw certificate no. 1 selling on E-bay but he was asking way too much for me. I saw most of the single digit ones on his selling history on E-bay. Not sure RCM would enter into another agreement like this again (if it's true that there was such an agreement).

RCN, are you a member of the Ottawa Coin Club?

Well, it is a real mixed bag at our club. Ancients, modern, NFLD, Canadian Tire, errors, paper money, Twoonies, etc... NCLT collectors come to our meetings. Often, they fall under thematic collections (animals, butterflies, etc...) rather than strictly NCLT from a specific mint. Frankly, it is more about the social time than actual coins. Last month's presentation was on coin photography, for example, which included how to photograph proof strikes.

Ah~ that reminds me. I just sold a 10 oz silver maple the other day and the serial on that one was 16xxx while mintage was 13xxx. The certificate of authenticity was a sterling silver plate too, with the serial number stamped on. Boggled my mind then, but I suppose the mint likely over produced and did not sell in the same order as the serialization.

I have #8 for RCM year of the rabbit

CC hope you have fun here.

I am getting out of collecting low certificate number coins. It will be interesting to see how much I get for the coins that I listed. I will report once they are sold.

Yes they are on ebay now.