Coins and Canada - Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2024

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Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2024

By thecanadiannumismatist | Sunday, 24 November 2024

Here's the Top 10 most valuable Canadian coins sold at auction in 2024 so far. Prices are in Canadian currency.

#1 - $46,032 - 2 dollars 1870 Newfoundland Obverse # 2 - PCGS MS-64

Highest grade known for this type, with a mintage of only 10,000. Another MS-64 ICCS example sold for $12,257 in 2001.

This PCGS example sold for 3.75x more than this previous sale.

Like all other British North American colonies, Newfoundland adopted, in the mid-19th century, a decimal currency consisting of dollars-cents-mils. However, in introducing the new currency in 1865, Newfoundland, unlike other colonies, chose to include a gold coin among the denominations it was issuing.

The colony had first considered a one-dollar gold piece similar to that of the United States but settled on a two dollar-piece because the larger coin would be less liable to be lost by the public. Newfoundland's two-dollar gold piece was coined from 1865 to 1888.

The obverse bears a laureated portrait of Queen Victoria and the reverse side, shown, is a simple design consisting mostly of the lettering and the date. This coin is very unusual in that it has the denomination expressed three different ways: TWO HUNDRED CENTS, TWO DOLLARS and ONE HUNDRED PENCE. The latter refers to its value in sterling.

2 dollars 1870 Newfoundland »

#2 - $37,200 - 10 cents 1913 Broad Leaves - PCGS MS-65

Only 2 PCGS MS-65 known. The Broad Leaves reverse was replaced in 1913 with smaller leaves and less venation.

Recent sales of this type:

2020 - PCGS MS-64 - $31,900
2020 - PCCS MS-62 - $9,800
2019 - PCCS MS-63 - $14,400
2015 - PCCS MS-63 - $23,800
2010 - PCCS MS-64 - $23,700

10 cents 1913 prices and values »

#3 - $32,880 - 10 dollars 1912 - PCGS SP-68

In 2019, another specimen PCGS SP-68 example sold for $30,345.

SP-69 examples exist. One sold for $46,800 in 2022.

The Canadian Branch of Britain's Royal Mint opened in Ottawa in January 1908 for the purpose of producing circulation Canada's circulation coinage, as well as to finally refine Canada's growing gold resources on domestic soil for conversion into Canadian dollar-denominated coins.

This part of the Mint's mandate was realized from 1912 to 1914, when $5 and $10 gold coins proudly displaying national symbols were produced in the same Ottawa facility where the Royal Canadian Mint continues to refine and produce world-class gold coins and investment products.

1912, 1913 and 1914 $5 and $10 Gold coins »

#4 - $24,924 - Gold Sovereign 1908-C - PCGS SP-64

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:

PCGS SP-69 - $46,440 (2022)
PCGS SP-66 - $39,500 (2021)
PCGS SP-65 - $30,500 (2020)
PCGS SP-65 - $29,750
PCGS SP-64 - $24,576
NGC SP-64 - $22,700
PCGS SP-62 - $10,980
ICCS SP-62 - $10,115

Gold Sovereigns of Canada »

#5 - $23,900 - 25 cents 1889 - CCCS MS-64

This coin was described as Closed 9 by CCCS. The reverse punch for 1889 carried only the first 3 digits, the last one being added by hand. The position (far/near) and shape (open/close) of this last digit (9) may vary. Low mintage of 66,340.

25 cents 1889 prices and values »

#6 - $23,900 - 10 cents 1884 - PCGS MS-64

Only 14 examples known in Mint State condition with only 2 examples finer. Last MS-64 example sold for $15,500 in 2023.

10 cents 1884 prices and values »

#7 - $21,200 - 1 dollar 1965 Small Beads Blunt 5 ↑↓ - NGC MS-63

A PCGS MS-64+ example from George Hans Cook collection sold for $23,850 in 2019. The Cook example is still the only one certified in PCGS's census, and similarly, just one can be located at NGC (this coin). Charlton suggests just five are known extant.

Rotated die errors can occurs when one of the two dies has been misaligned during installation or when the hammer die has become loose while striking and it has rotated on its axis.

1 dollar 1965 prices and values »

#8 - $17,300 - 50 cents 1890 H - PCGS AU-55

To date, only 3 examples known in Mint State condition. Lowest mintage of the series with 20,000 pieces.

Highest grade known, PCGS/ICCS MS-65, sold in June 2019 for $261,000. A MS-64 example, survivor of the renowned Heaton Hoard discovered in 1974-75, sold in January 2010 by Heritage Auctions for $157,000.

50 cents 1890 prices and values »

#9 - $16,730 - 5 cents 1921 - CCCS AU-50

In 1921, a legislation was passed to remove silver 5-cent coins and replace them with 21mm (instead 15.5mm) 100% nickel ones. At that time, the Mint melted more than 3 million of silver five cents coins which most of them were from 1921. Only 400 silver 5-cents coins are believed to have survived. Considered The Prince of Canadian Coinage.

5 cents 1921 - Sales history »