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 Replies: 22 / Views: 3,319 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1554 Posts |
 I was in Ontario visiting the Governor General Johnson and His wife over the weekend @ Rideau Hall. During my stay in Ottawa I visited the Bank of Canada Currency Museum, on Feb. 10 2013. I enjoyed seeing the beautiful raw, MS-64-to-66 Canadian Decimal Coinage displayed at this building. While walking through the Museum I had noticed most of the coins were displayed in a vertical fashion where the Observer would see them as if they were holding them up in front of 'em. As I continued on with my observation, I noticed that none of these Key date high grade coins were encapsulated, T.P.G. slabbed or wired(suspended) around the rims. I looked carefully at the coins on display including a 1921 nickel and half dollar (MS-65)and noticed all were mounted to a post protruding from the wall. I started getting an uneasy feeling in my stomach wondering: "just how are these magnificent coins being held up in the air in such a manner?" When I approached the end of my Tour and confronted the front desk manager, I asked the question, "Maaam', how are these unbelievable Numismatic Specimens held in the air in a vertical position with only a post attached to the Obverse?" She stated, :"OOOOHHHHH, this Museum opened in 1980 and all the coins acquired via donations and purchased were mounted by an epoxy glue to a post protruding fro the wall mount! Back then we did not have the knowledge of how to display coins or take care of them in the manner of which we know now". She added, "we have thousands upon thousands of gem Canadian Decimal coins currently housed in the Museum's vault's. The Curator is pulling her hair out attempting to get the epoxy/glue off the coins using chemicals and prongs." A very sick feeling came onto me, my mouth dropped, my knees felt weak, I was nauseated, and sweating profusely, and was totally speechless at this point. I walked to the coat check and made my way to the exit, wondering what kind of a nightmare I experienced? Glenn   Edited by glenzy1
02/11/2013 7:24 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
902 Posts |
Epoxy glue ? Houston, we have a problem.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3690 Posts |
Glenn, I think you are being modest about the reason for meeting His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston.
Thank you for your service.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
1554 Posts |
  Glenn |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1923 Posts |
Did they hand out Kleenex or have a mop there to mop up all the tears that's a shame you think they would have hired more knowledgeable people to set up the displays even in 1980 these coins were very few and very valuable.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1554 Posts |
 I cried, there were no mops or kleenex anywhere close by. I visited 5 Museums in the past week in Ottawa, and I absolutely REGRET visiting the Bank of Canada Currency Museum. The only consolation was the 1911 dollar was not mounted, just resting on a flat platform. Glenn |
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
Ok thats it..Lets storm the museum and save those coins :)))
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Valued Member
Canada
453 Posts |
Quote:
..Lets storm the museum and save those coins :))) ... armed with copious amounts of acetone! |
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Moderator
 Canada
10458 Posts |
What you were seeing was the "display collection". The "research collection" is not exposed to UV light on a daily basis, but it is true, none of the coins are in TPG holders. Often, they crack them out of the holders, in order to study them, photograph them, etc. Rest easy, most of the coins are not covered in epoxy. I have handled a fair number of the patterns and rare coins, the Bank of Canada guys often visit me at my lab, to XRF some of Canada's first coins and patterns, to reveal their compositions. "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
Edited by SPP-Ottawa
02/11/2013 8:54 pm
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Valued Member
Canada
50 Posts |
Glenn, I really thought you were trying to pull a fast one on us, till I saw the photograph!  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1581 Posts |
And the braniacs didn't think anyone would want to see the obverse of the 1911 $1.
Frustratingly clueless. Unforgivable that they have a research group that keeps much of the collection to themselves.
Typical Canada. We pay, they play.
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Moderator
Canada
10458 Posts |
The collection, and numismatic library, are available to anyone wanting to go there and conduct numismatic research. But, the museum will be moving later in 2013, and parts of the reference collection will be unavailable for some time.
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
well if they really wanted to remove the small dobs of epoxy they could use acetone . I have also heard using a heat gun to soften the glue then it would most likely just lift off ?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1002 Posts |
Glenn - congratulations on your honour and the opportunity to meet with the Governor General.
I want to visit Ottawa at some point and plan on going to the currency museum - now the blow will be softened knowing what to expect.
Hopefully their paper notes are stored properly!
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
9865 Posts |
glenzy - congratulations
"Dipping" is not considered cleaning...
-from PCGS website
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1554 Posts |
 Thanks everyone for all the well wishes and kind words. I've been very honored and humbled receiving the Medal of Bravery. It certainly was unexpected and I'm sure I've done nothing more than anyone of you would have done under the same circumstances. If ever you get a chance to visit Ottawa, here are the attractions I would recommend: >Royal Canadian Mint >Bank of Canada Currency Museum (be sure to bring lot's of Kleenex with you) >Canadian Museum of Civilization >Canadian Museum of Nature >Little Italy >Chinatown >Byward Market >Rideau Centre (4 storey Mall) >Parliament Hill >Sussex Drive is lined with Embassies and Prime Minister's residence. >War Museum Glenn  |
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Replies: 22 / Views: 3,319 |
Posted 02/11/2013 7:45 pm
