Another in my series of posts about RCM SDs issued in custom packages...In 2009, the Montreal Canadiens hockey team celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. The team was established on December 4, 1909 by John Ambrose O'Brien and played its first game in January 1910 as a member of the newly-formed National Hockey Association (NHA). The team completed one season under O'Brien's ownership, and was then sold to George Kennedy who renamed the team "Club Athletique Canadien." The team's name was changed in 1917 to "Club de hockey Canadien" - this remains the official name of the club today.
When the National Hockey League (NHL) was launched in 1917, the Montreal Canadiens were one of the six original teams. Over their 101-year NHL history, the Canadiens have won a record 3,374 games and have a .588 all-time winning percentage (tops among all NHL teams except for the Vegas Knights who have only played one season). They have appeared in 34 Stanley Cup championships (more than any other franchise), and have won 24 of them (also more than any other franchise); their last Cup victory was in 1993. The team is the most successful in NHL history.
In 2009, the
Royal Canadian Mint (
RCM) commemorated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Montreal Canadiens with a Special Edition silver dollar. The coin was struck with a proof finish and was enhanced with selective gold plating on its commemorative reverse as well as on its rim and edge. The coin has a diameter of 36.07 millimeters and a weight of 25.18 grams; it is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper (sterling silver); it contains 0.7485 ounces of silver.
The coin was available in two packaging options. The standard packaging for the SD was an encapsulated coin placed in a square black clamshell case with a custom-printed commemorative sleeve; it had an issue price of $69.95 CAD.
The coin was also available in a "hockey ice-inspired coin stand" (the
RCM's description) that was comprised of a black circular base topped with a clear piece of acrylic (meant to mimic ice) with a slot cut into it to hold the SD in a vertical orientation. To add a bit of realism to the stand, the printed graphic sheet below the acrylic "ice" displays several skate marks. As with the standard packaging option, the acrylic stand option was shipped in a custom-printed commemorative sleeve; it had an issue price of $74.95 CAD. It is surprising (at least to me!) that the difference between the two options was just $5.00. If offered today, I would expect the
RCM to set the price differential at $20.00 or so.
The Special Edition SD had an overall mintage limit of 15,000; the
RCM did not publish a limit for either of the packaging options. Per the
RCM's 2009 Annual Report, the individual coin sold a total of 10,093 units while the coin w/ stand sold 4,907 units; a sales ratio of approximately 2:1. The SD was one of the
RCM's sell-outs in 2009, doing so in just over a month.
A recent review of "Sold" coins on
ebay shows a 7:1 ratio of standard packages to acrylic stand packages. Selling prices for the standard package were in the $80 to $95 CAD range; the single sale of the coin w/ stand closed at $165 CAD. All prices realized are above issue price; from 115% to 135% for the standard package and approximately 220% for the coin w/ stand. It should be noted, however, that these prices have fallen from those found two or three years ago.
Also in 2009, the
RCM issued silver $20 Goalie Mask coins for each of Canada's six NHL teams (at the time); they were packaged with the same acrylic stand as the silver dollar. Paired together on a shelf or in a cabinet, the two Canadiens coins would make for a nice numismatic display for an avid fan! (If anyone has the Canadiens Goalie Mask coin, please feel free to add it to this thread!)
2009 Montreal Canadiens SD - Reverse
2009 Montreal Canadiens SD - Outer Commemorative Sleeve
2009 Montreal Canadiens SD - Coin on Acrylic Ice Stand
Posted 09/06/2018 5:58 pm
