It was an enjoyable, if brief, pursuit of these silver "Bank Note" $5 coins - I'm glad I decided to add them to my existing 36mm $5 collection.
Many attractive bank notes have been issued in Canada's past, IMO this series could have easily been extended. A six- or eight-coin series could have been produced without running out of attractive bank note vignettes to highlight. But I'm fine with the series stopping at four. ("Better to leave 'em wanting more!")
In 2010, the Mint issued a series of silver and gold coins commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Canada's 1935 bank notes issued by the nation's newly-founded (1934) central bank - the Bank of Canada. The coin series includes one-ounce $10 and $20 silver coins, a five-ounce $50 silver coin and a five-ounce $500 gold coin. I didn't purchase the coins back then, and don't plan on pursuing them now. I do, however, believe that their popularity among collectors served as the catalyst for the 2013-2015 $5 silver coin series.
On a different front...
The Mint was going through a minor transition period during the run of this series - it was moving away from including historical narratives within the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) included with each coin. The 2013 coin of this series - Canadian Bank of Commerce - included a COA with full narrative, as did the first release of 2014 - Bank of Western Canada / Saint George Slaying the Dragon. The second 2014 release - Bank of Northern Canada - and 2015 coin - Barclays Bank (Canada) - include only the abbreviated COA that has become the present "standard."
As someone who enjoys learning about the history behind the commemorative coins and medals I collect, I miss the concise historical notes that came, for a time, with many of the Mint's commemorative coins. The absence of the narrative within the COA doesn't keep me from doing my own research and learning more about each coin's background, but it does take away a solid starting point for my efforts!
Sales of the coins in the series were reasonable for the time, with the 2013 and 2014 issues exceeding 80% of maximum mintage; the 2014 St. George Slaying the Dragon coin sold out. It appears, however, that some collector fatigue was sinking in by the end of the series, as the 2015 Barclays Bank (Canada) coin sold less than 50% of its authorized maximum. (I don't think the coin's design can explain the drop off.) Enough of the coins sold at the time of issue, however, to ensure that each of the four coins is regularly available in the current marketplace (i.e., supply is currently exceeding demand).
What lies ahead for the coins? While it's difficult to say with certainty, I lean toward them not ever being "sought-after" coins. The Mint was churning out lots of coins at the time these $5 coins were released, so I believe there's a bit of "lost in the shuffle" going on with them - many of today's new collectors of Canadian coinage are unaware of them. Of course, I could be wrong and tomorrow might bring about "hotness" for the series - time will tell. Either way, I can rest assured knowing that my set is complete and safely incorporated into my collection.
Here are links to my posts for each of the coins in the $5 Bank Note Series:
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2013 Canadian Bank of Commerce-
2014 Bank of Western Canada-
2014 Northern Crown Bank-
2015 Barclays Bank (Canada)For more of my stories about commemorative coins and medals, including more on Canadian commemorative coins, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 07/16/2024 11:27 am
