The Art of Coin Collecting in Ottawa

The art of coin collecting, also known as numismatics, may be one of the oldest hobbies in the world. Its roots go back at least as far as the 4th or 3rd century bc, but interest really took off with the advent of the Renaissance and the resulting increase in both cultural sophistication and available information. During this time, ancient coins became the hobby of choice for many European nobles and merchants. This created a market for antique objects that were considered to be works of art, and the demand was so great that it actually exceeded the supply. This led to the creation of a cottage industry of agents and the introduction of forgeries.

In modern times, the Royal Canadian Mint on Sussex Drive continues to produce millions of nickels for circulation, but it mainly strikes collector versions of coins for other countries. The Mint will also make a coin for you on contract, if you have the right kind of coins to sell.

Jacob Lipson is a dealer in Canadian and American tokens and an independent numismatic cataloguer for Heritage Auctions. He’s also been a guest speaker at libraries and coin clubs.

The Ottawa Numismatic Society represents local collectors of all ages, from beginners to advanced specialists, who are interested in coins, tokens, medals and paper money. Its aim is to promote the sharing of information among collectors and numismatists. It meets monthly, usually on the fourth Monday of the month.