A Major Museum Donation

Since he very rarely posts on here, I'd like to mention a major donation by one of our own to the Bank of Canada Museum collection. Back in the old CCRS site for Canadian Coinage, Jaime Flamenbaum got tired that a large core of us were just Vicky large cent variety collectors, with other denominations more of a side-interest. He decided that he was going to start a toonie collection, even then when toonies were very relatively new. For his decision, he got lots comments regarding his toonie decision, but he doggedly carried on.

Jaime painstakingly searched for, and found, the most complete toonie variety collection and information that anyone had seen. He has given talks, seminars, and displayed at almost all of the large coin shows between Ottawa and Toronto. His collection is astonishing, when viewed in-hand and not under glass. He is the one to thank for much of the toonie knowledge now out there, with the prime examples from his own collection. And now it's in the Bank of Canada museum. Here's a cut-and-paste:

"Preserving our numismatic heritage
A landmark collection of two-dollar coins (toonies)

In June, the Bank of Canada Museum acquired a significant part of the Jaime Flamenbaum collection of Canadian $2 coins, widely known as toonies (or the variation, twoonies). While we have collected circulating examples of the $2 coins since their first appearance in 1996, this acquisition adds rare varieties. It also allows the Museum to recognize Mr. Flamenbaum—one of Canada's foremost expert on collecting $2 coins—and document his contribution to numismatics. The Museum has greatly benefitted from Mr. Flamenbaum's research and analysis, and it can finally boast of having one of the best collections of Canadian $2 coins in the world!"

And again, Jaime, thank you and congrats on your decision to get your coins into the museum! Bill