Coins and Canada - Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2023

You are: Home » Canadian coins » Articles » Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2023

Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2023

By thecanadiannumismatist | Sunday, 12 November 2023

Here's the Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2023 so far. Prices are in Canadian currency.

#1 - $296,250 - 50 cents 1921 - PCGS MS-66

This exact coin also sold in 2019 at auction for $319,890 (↓~7.5%).

Another example of a very rare 1921 half dollar coin also sold in 2023. Certified PCGS SP-64, it sold for $155,350. One last sold in 2023, certified PCGS MS-63 and it sold for $197,300.

Also called the King of Canadian Coins, fewer than 200 50 cents 1921 are believed to exist. About 200,000 of 1921 50-cents were produced, but since the demand for the new coins was very low, most of them remained in storage in the Mint. By 1929, when the demand for the fifty-cent coins improved and because the Mint feared that the public might question the authenticity of new-looking coins bearing old dates, the Deputy Master of the Mint ordered that the stock should be melted and that a portion of the melted silver should be used for producing new 50 cents dated 1929. It appears that most of the 1921 pieces were among those melted.

50 cents 1921 - Sales history »

#2 - $53,516 - 1 cent 1931 - PCGS SP-66

From the Stewart Blay Collection of Canadian Cents (previously Belzberg), this coins sold in February. Highest specimen known for this year and denomination.

New York City sculptor and numismatist, Stewart Blay, mostly known for his Red Copper Collection of Lincoln Cents certified by Professional Coin Grading Service died unexpectedly November 25, 2022 from an undisclosed illness, at 71. His collection was offered at auction online by GreatCollections. He started collecting coins at the age of 8.

1 cent 1931 - Price Guide and Values »

According to a 2008 interview with Mr. Blay by BJ Searls, who was then Set Registry and Special Projects Director for PCGS, Blay started filling a Whitman coin folder with coins a neighbor's uncle would bring home from his employment with the New York City transit system.
In 1988, two years after the founding of PCGS, Mr. Blay returned to the numismatic fold, concentrating on collecting Lincoln cents. Mr. Blay was meticulous in his searches for just the right coins.

- Coinworld

#3 - $48,600 - 50 cents 1894 - PCGS MS-64+

Second-lowest mintage to the series at 29,036 surpassed by only the Heaton mint 1890 issue, which curiously has larger total certified population than the date on offer here, although admittedly has fewer Mint State certified examples in the pooled census combined.

50 cents 1894 PCGS MS-64 sales at auctions:

$46,925 - July, 2007
$43,700 - July, 2008
$65,900 - September, 2008
$50,150 - October, 2010

50 cents 1894 - Price Guide and Values »

#4 - $41,825 - 1 dollar 1947 - PCGS SP-67

Variety: Pointed 7 - Dot - Triple HP

1 cent 1947 - Price Guide and Values »

#5 - $40,630 - 50 cents 1931 - PCGS MS-67

A MS-68 example was also certified by PCGS.

50 cents 1931 - Price Guide and Values »

#6 - $35,850 - 10 cents 1889 - PCGS MS-63

Other sales for a 10 cents 1889 MS-63:

2017 - $20,661
2015 - $25,168
2003 - $27,968 (ex. Greene-Pittman-Belzberg)

Very rare in mint state condition. Around 10 known in that similar condition. During a Heritage Auctions sale in January 2010, a 10 cents 1889 PCGS MS-66 coin sold for $88,840. A MS-62 example sold for $25,880 in 2021.

Some have questions regarding the exact number of coins minted in 1889, the possibility of only one die-pairing being used, and how many of the reported 600,000 mintage were actually dated 1888.

Most 1889 10 cents show a die crack above second I of Victoria.

10 cents 1889 - Price Guide and Values »

#7 - $35,376 - Gold Sovereign 1908 - PCGS - SP-66

Only 636 examples were struck in 1908, all of which are Specimen strikings. Because the Ottawa Mint was a branch of the Royal Mint in 1908, it was part of the duty to produce Gold Sovereign for London. The mintmark C above the date stands for Canada.

Previous sales: