Coin club spring show to make first Steinbach appearance

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This article was published 24/03/2024 (407 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coin collections carefully stored away in attics and basements are common across Manitoba, and an event planned for Steinbach will give people a glimpse into their value and history.

The Manitoba Coin Club will host a spring show at the Mennonite Heritage Village on April 20.

Larry Dalman, a coin collector who is also a member of the Manitoba Coin Club, said they’re being more intentional about reaching out to rural Manitoba and the upcoming Manitoba Coin, Stamp and Collectibles Spring Show will enable them to do that.

“There’s a lot of people throughout Manitoba that are sitting on inheritances from grandparents, parents,” he said. “They don’t know much about coinage. They don’t know much about bills. They don’t know who to turn to to find out if it’s worth collecting or selling and if they do sell it, who do they sell it to and how do they know what it’s worth.”

The club has traditionally held fall shows but added spring shows to their repertoire in a bid to reach out to these rural areas. A previous show in the Interlake was a big success Dalman said.

They’re also welcoming others to take part in the show.

John Dyck, owner of Memory Lane Diecast and Collectibles is considered the foremost authority on Hot Wheels and he will be in attendance. So will the antique mall based in The Forks Johnston Terminal. The Manitoba Stamp Club has also been invited but had not confirmed attendance at this time.

The Royal Canadian Mint will also be in attendance with a coin exchange that will allow people to purchase the 2021 Bluenose dime.

“It’s one of those coins that they haven’t coloured yet,” Dalman explained. “So what they did is they created a three-design coin so two of them are uncoloured and one is coloured.”

Dalman said the coloured one is limited to one to two million produced, a small number when one considers that most coins are made in runs of 180 million to 200 million.

Rarity and condition are the two factors that determine the price of both coins and bills.

Dalman said some are very rare, such as the 1999 quarter which was not circulated.

“The only way you can get a 1999 quarter is you have to buy a 1990s coin set,” he said, adding there are less than 400,000 made.

Quarters and nickels from 1991 are also rare and more valuable.

But the 1948 silver dollar is one of the most prized coins for any collector.

He said shows like this one can make people aware of the value of their collections and he cautioned against taking them to a bank which will only pay face value, a mistake he’s learned about directly from people who had done it.

“If you take in 100 silver dollars you get $100,” he said. “When they did it they were worth $16 a piece, so they lost $1,500.”

As Dalman shared a small part of his collection he was eager to explain the history.

He showed an 1870 “shin-plaster”, a 25 cent bill that was smaller than a typical bill and was described that way because it could easily be tucked into a sock.

He also had a $2 bill that was much larger than any bill in existence today.

Prized collector’s items also include 1935 bills which were printed in two batches with some in French. Both $500 and $25 bills are prized, and he said they are still out there.

“People are sitting on stuff that they don’t even know what they have,” he said.

Their planned show in Steinbach is part of their effort to increase education. They’ve already expanded the club recently, attracting youth to the hobby and seeing their numbers grow from 50 two years ago to 109 currently.

“As people are getting older and not realizing the value of money, they’re trying to get rid of it, but if their grandchildren take up the hobby and they get involved in it now, this is the time to get into it,” he said.

So what should people be looking for in their collections?

Dalman said Canadian silver coins, everything before 1967 were made out of 80 percent silver. Those minted in the 1800s to early 1900s were 92.5 percent silver.

Other coins include 1948 silver dollars, 1921 nickels and 1921 fifty cent pieces.

Pennies made from 1921 to 1925 are also more valuable.

For Dalman the collection is a look back in time.

He held up his 1923 25 cent bill.

“Who carried this?” he asked. “What’s in it’s history?”

There are also plenty of coins and bills not issued by the government.

Banks issued their own bills as did some businesses such as Molson Canadian and Hudson Bay Trading Company. In Manitoba, Dalman said, seven to 10 banks issued bills.

He also had advice for beginning collectors.

“Don’t clean them,” he said of coins. “And don’t iron a bill, it takes away from it.”

He suggested bills should be stored flat, inside books for example, but he cautions people not to forget which book they placed them in.

The show will run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mennonite Heritage Village on April 20.

Collectors can also book a table for $50. If they join the Manitoba Coin Club, a $15 charge, that table will cost them $25.

While it will be free to access the Royal Canadian Mint’s booth, the show itself will come with a $5 entry fee. That comes with a free pass to the Royal Canadian Mint, a $6 value and an entry for a door prize.

People are welcome to bring their coins and club members will be on hand to give their opinion on value and offer more information if time allows.

It’s also an opportunity to experience some nostalgia.

“Anybody who is into Hot Wheels, comic books, antiques, coins, stamps… come see what’s there,” Dalman said. “Just enjoy the day.”

To book a table or to learn more, go to www.manitobacoinclub.org.