The title pretty much sums up my request. I have not been able to find definitive mintage data for the early specimen coinage and at the just finished FUN show I spoke with some Canadian dealers who could not point me in the proper direction, either. So...might anyone be able to help with either data or references? Thank you in advance.
Dang! I wish I could help you, Tom. I've acquired a lot of useful information from you over the years, and it would be nice to be able to give you an answer once in a while. Chris
Bump......... I'd like to know as well. I've just acquired an interest in Canadian (large) coppers.....
Tom: First of all I hope you are feeling better. To resolve your question, have you tried the curators at the Bank of Canada Museum? http://www.bankofcanadamuseum.ca/ Perhaps you will find answers there. John
I forwarded the thread to Rob Turner, who I know spent a few days in London at the Mint going over old records and gathering data for his first book on the 1858 Large Cents. Since I helped him with the book (some), I have a copy, but there is nothing specific on specimens. There are estimates and paper-copy statements that patterns and proofs were made. If he doesn't show up on the site here, I'll regurgitate the numbers and data. BTW, the book "The 1858 Cents of Provincial Canada" is a book that should be in any serious collector's library. Although it focuces on the Large Cents and tacks each of the dies for them, there is a great deal about ALL of the 1858 & '59 mintages, the extensive hitory history, and minting processes for each denomination. Here is the thread from the other site on the same inquiry: http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=935538
I haven't seen specific mintages given anywhere, but I'd definitely be interested if they exist and just haven't been plucked from the historical shelves. I know in the Charlton (Cross) reference, the mintages for specimens are just "included in above" -- which doesn't help at all. Best of luck Tom! -Brandon
Thank you all for your time and effort. It appears that contemporary data might not have been saved, which is a darn shame if true. It also appears that aside from 1908 and 1937 that all the earlier specimen coins and pre-confederation or provincial coins were struck with mintages of around a half-dozen. The following 1919-C Newfoundland SP64BN is the reason why I asked. It has a total PCGS population of three and a total ICCS population of two after a combined fifty-odd years of certification by these two companies. Additionally, Heritage has offered a total of zero of these in their years of operation. The coin is in a PCGS OGH and looks to be undergraded, but that is the least of my concerns.
In my opinion, you really have to be careful about applying pop reports for common date Canadian and Newf coinage. Until Registry sets started breaking the ice for Canadian coinage 4-5 or more years ago, many times it wasn't worth the cost to certify coins because the cert cost was a large portion of the value. Now 64's & 5's may have been done before early on, but it hasn't become too popular, except for recently ... by recently, I mean recently for a 40 year collector. Now ICCS may have cert'd specimens for a number of years, but now other TPG's will do Canadian and Newf so I think that there are more than a few in drawers, binders, and boxes. Also, ICCS is not reknowned for record keeping or consumer access.
It has been pointed out to me that perhaps I used the term pre-confederation incorrectly, but thought it would also apply to areas such as Newfoundland that remained separate from Canada until 1949. My estimate on production was based upon a note that I made when reading either Charlton or Haxby, but at this time I cannot find it in the references so it must be a mistake on my part.
Wow, Tom B ... that coin is absolutely amazing!! (congrats!!) I agree with brg5658 ... the Charlton catalogue merely lumps 'em in with "included in above" ... => 300,000 minted in 1919 Curious? ... the 2013 Charlton catalogue doesn't mention 1919 specimen sets? ... but the catalogue does mention that the 1921 SP-65 is worth $250,000 (oh sorry, that must be for the entire 1921 specimen set?) ... "ooops" => sorry, those were Dominion of Canada specimen sets, not Newfie specimen sets (my bad) Ummm,were there Newfie specimen sets?