Canadian Coin Dollars - 1967 And Before.

Not sure what sort of premium you are talking about but most of that will surely be the price of silver? A 50's or 60's dollar is worth $14 or so today based only on silver content. ebay will give you a good idea of what a fair price is. Most dealers will sell their junk silver for a bit above spot (they should be allowed to make a profit!)

Proof-like sets are a good option too. Sets from 1963 to 1967 go for slightly above spot and the coins are pretty.

I find it's hard to get $1 pre-68 coins for less than $16, because the dealer does mark them up. And I'm okay with that - because really, that's a tiny markup compared to retail, or the food industry.

Go to a show that is near where you live. Look for a large show with over 100 dealers if possible. That way you should be able to find a couple of dealers with Canadian coins if your living in the USA. The series from 1949 to 1967 is really not that expensive, you should readily be able to find uncirculated coins that cost around $25 or less. If you haven't bought a book to find out how to grade coins, do so, it's to your advantage. They made a lot of the 1949 in excellent condition so that should be easy to find. Don't buy problem coins or coins that look like they have been cleaned. If your not sure, ask the dealer's opinion. You might find that Proof like coins are actually cheaper to obtain than mintstate in high grade. When you buy high quality coins, they maintain their value better than just buying a coin for it's bullion value which will always be just a bullion value coin.