The Toronto Coin Expo Spring Auction Returns with an Outstanding Selection of Rare and Historic Canadian Numismatics

The Toronto Coin Expo Spring Auction kicks off the Canadian coin and banknote show with a live two-session sale, May 1-2, in the Toronto Reference Library and is being conducted by Geoffrey Bell Auctions.

Highlighting the sale are two landmark collections: the 50-year Botany Collection, which includes exceptional errors, patterns and rare coinage; and the late Geoffrey Bell’s personal scrip collection, filled with seldom-seen 19th-century municipal and commercial notes.

Among the top highlights is Lot 399, a dramatic 1969 Canadian 25-cent coin struck over a 1963 English gold sovereign. Certified MS-64 by PCGS, the piece weighs 7.98 grams and is believed to be unique—a showstopper for collectors of sovereigns or mint errors. The coin carries an estimate of $20,000–$25,000.

Other rarities include Lot 403, a 1970 50-cent coin struck on a 14-karat gold planchet (PCGS MS-64, estimate: $20,000–$25,000), and Lot 574, an 1836 City of Saint John note, the only known example of its kind (estimate: $10,000–$20,000). A rare 1854 £1 Nova Scotia treasury note used for railway funding will also cross the block as Lot 617 (estimate: $20,000–$25,000).

Auction sessions begin nightly at 5:30 p.m., with lot viewing open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Visit www.gbellauctions.com for the full catalogue and registration.

Toronto Coin Expo May 3-4

Held in the same venue—Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.—the Toronto Coin Expo takes place May 3–4, with over 30 dealers from across Canada, educational workshops and family-friendly programming. Show admission is $6, and free for children under 16.

On Saturday, May 4, don’t miss these free workshops in the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon:

10:30 a.m. – Coin Collecting for KIDSA fun introduction to collecting coins and transit tokens. Free for all young collectors.

11:00 a.m. – Kids’ Coin AuctionYoung numismatists (recommended age 8+) use play money to bid on real numismatic items in a lively, kid-friendly auction.

1:00 p.m. – Coin Grading with François RufiangeLearn to grade Canadian coins using Langlois’ Guide, with a visual review of wear stages from Mint State to heavily circulated. Bring your 5X or 10X loupe!

For full show details, visit: www.torontocoinexpo.ca