Varieties Of Silver 5 Cent Coins. Edited My Past Post

Not enough room anywhere to list all coin varieties. Where do you get your number of varieties ? There are many, many more from 1858 to 1921, even in the Charlton catalogue . I've collected Canadian coins for over 50 years and never heard of a 1920 flat and raised rim 5 cents. The 1870 rims and denticles were a design change; what caused the 1920 difference in the rims ? Was it machinery-related abnormality, or a true difference?
When I was young, no one knew about the 1964 xwl variety nickel until 1970. The 1948-49 denticle varieties took over 40 years to be known and collectible. It took over 150 years to identify the 1859 cent varieties and list them. 1920 raised and flat rim.... hmmmm....

Hey DBM. I totally respect your knowledge of what Varieties are and what are not.

But I am trying to learn myself. I have been collecting coins now for about 3 years. I am sure you would refer me to some obscure book that I should read so I can learn what a variety is. The problem is. The cost of one of the books is often 5 times what I am willing to pay for some type of coin I can probably pick up at an estate auction, or on ebay for fine example. not to mention the time I would need to invest in reading the book. When I went to Toronto a few weeks ago for the Coin Expo I was the youngest one there, and the youngest one looking for coins of the earliest dates.

I wish that I could have the time and opportunity to make coin collecting my career, Your collection I am sure is huge and I know your knowledge is much greater than mine. And I respect that you know more about the subject than me.

I like the hunt I go to auctions that have coins for sale. I look for different varieties. Do I know or have time or money to go to school to find out what the collecting community defines as a variety?

The question I asked was to hopefully spark some type of discussion.


But oh well.

Nikon ... you should have looked me up at Expo(I told everyone that I would be wearing red or orange) and I would have told you all about varieties and what you should be doing. You are starting out correctly by asking questions on this site.

See if you can get a hold of all the 5-6 old Hans Zoell pamphlets from the early 60's to the early 70's. Become a member of the RCNA and get their monthly magazine with articles, research and some great columns. By being a member you have the free opportunity to go through theri entire library and every Canadian Numismatic Journal that they've printed for xxx years.

I am not sure of the year (or if it is coming in the future), but the back section of every Charlton from 2011 on has a variety section in the back that covers a different denomination each year. It started with Victoria large cents and has had the dollar sections and 50 cent. I think that there was one on 5 cents. The variety section has 40-80 pages, depending upon space, with each page a different variety and photos with info. A small percentage of those in the back (based upon demand/interest) make it to the front section of Charlton. THAT must be what you are talking about with so few that you have seen. When we wrote the Vicky LC section, we had 80 pages (varieties) in the back and only 9-10 made it to the front pages in the following years. ICCS would/will not certify a variety unless it shows up in the front pages of Charlton and the same pretty well is the way that Trends (from Canadian Coin News)is as well. Join the RCNA, get the correct Charlton year for 5 cents, and use the RCNA library and back issues .. the information is out there and you just need to study. Charlton's are only about $30. I have always advised new collectors to make sure that the first $200 that you spend on coins should be in books or reference material, preferably by buying used books or ebay.

Here's the CoinsandCanada site: http://www.coinsandcanada.com/coins-grading.php

Nikon, Please get the needed books..and plan to spend much needed and valuable time reading..