Welcome To 2021 - January RCM Releases

@vonigohcr

I agree that those are the biggest factors in slowing the sale. As a collector I'd like to see them not do it to what I consider an iconic piece, it'd be like changing things in 2017...but from a business stand point, it makes sense that they do changes on a year like this year. And I think we can all agree this was a business decision.

I don't believe so. When I look at the "My Collection" page, it isn't flagged as sold out when others are.

Regarding my point earlier... In Ontario which has 13% HST, Last Year's coin cost $904 as tax is applied to gold less than 99.5% purity. This year's coin will cost $1,100 or a 22% increase... almost identical to the appreciation in the cost of gold. Where I live in BC, last year's coin cost $896 (5% GST + 7% PST) With the move to 99.99%, the GST is no longer applicable however the PST will still apply so my cost is $1,177 or a 31% increase. Since Ontario is the most populous province, it stands to reason that the majority of the Canadian sales would go to Ontario... The Maritime provinces are all at 15% HST so they benefit even more than Ontario. It is the rest of Canada and international purchasers that don't benefit from the purity move.

Since the $100 was the only 14Kt product left and if they can't sell out at 1,200 items, it makes sense to change it up and use a more common purity where unsold items can easily be melted down without the need to refine back to a 99.99%. All gold out of the RCM for Canadian coins is now either 4-Nines or 5-Nines pure. I don't know if the RCM provides 14kt for any other mint but it doesn't make sense to retain a single production line for a declining product.

I also agree with the above comments:
- The format change is a big showstopper for those of us who use coin trays.
- Price and mintage increases are factors (still trying to get my head around those).
- People (investors) who demand five 9s buy other products elsewhere due to excessive premiums.

We will know by year-end how these changes play out...

@jaymiles7: Do you collect Canada's 10-cent coins with the Bluenose? Those coins, at 18.03 mm, are a little smaller than the new gold coin (about 10% smaller). Maybe, in hand, the size won't be as much of an issue for you?

@jaymiles7: I fully understand. We all have to collect what makes us happy and by our own definitions of what becomes part of our collection.

I hope that future RCM 2021 Bluenose releases are more to your liking! You will likely have multiple coins to choose from!

Nothing specific, just this from the RCM's web page for the Bluenose silver dollar. It gave me the impression that there will be Bluenose coins beyond the January release (which seems focused on the design/launch phase).

Start at the beginning! This proof dollar represents the first chapter of a story that continues on multiple coins in 2021. It's part of a celebration of the Bluenose journey, from design to launch and throughout its racing years, as well as its enduring legacy.

@atticguy

I have received the Classic Uncirculated set and the $100 gold the SD said it shipped yesterday so I anticipate it by mid next week and Proof Set is still "processing" with an anticipated March 9 delivery. Of interest, I also ordered the specimen set from the February release and it is being shipped with the SD.


As another note, I really like the Bluenose launch image on the $100 gold but I am disappointed in the size. It is not as disappointing as the Coleville set from last year which are tiny but there is a clear difference in the hand and eye appeal regardless of the quality of the image/engraving. One difference I didn't anticipate is the change in colour. When looking at the 2020 and 2021 coins side by side, the 14K gold/silver alloy in the 2020 has a distinctly lighter shade of gold than the 2021 99.99% pure gold coin. That is a welcome change... I am still on the fence though over the size decrease. I am trying to get a good image of them side by side and will post when I do.

@commems


Yes & No. I will keep the coin as it is quite good looking in its own right but all future coins in this format will be assessed individually. Much like you, I have been maintaining my 36mm SD series but also the 27mm $100 Gold. In both series, I have bought one or two coins less for their aesthetic appeal than continuation of the series. I will not retain that constraint for the new format $100. For example, I was not a fan of the Looney Tunes and DC Comics $100 from a 2014-2016 back but I did enjoy the 1st nations versions (Frog & Raven). Were I not maintaining the series, I would have given the Cartoon coins a miss. I will be doing that going forward with this new format.

With the price of gold stepping up and the nature of Canadian taxation (i.e. only 99.9% gets GST/HST free status) I predict that there will be no future alloyed PM coins and the 1/4 oz format will remain at this 20mm form factor. I know they just issued a "thin" 1/10 oz (Coat of Arms Centenary) in the 20mm form factor... I would be interested if they move the $100 - 1/4 oz to back to 27mm but with a "thin" planchet. It is a shame because the SD has been able to retain its 36mm form factor through iterations of 50%, 92.5% (Sterling) and the current 99.99% (Fine). It would have been nice if they had offered the same consideration to the $100 gold annual coin. I haven't calculated out whether a 27mm planchet at 1/4 oz would be physically thick enough to maintain the engravings on each side coming out of the press but since these are NCLT and retained in capsules for the most part, I have to believe that "pocket" wear isn't a concern...