ROYAL CANADIAN NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION HISTORY BOOK AVAILABLE

The RCNA has done a lot to promote the hobby throughout Canada over the past 50 years. Now, RCNA members can read all about its rich, varied history and the people behind it. The hardcover book was unveiled at the 50th anniversary CNA Convention in Ottawa. It was indeed fitting that a book covering the history of the RCNA should be introduced in Ottawa, since that is where it all began.

For a number of years, Stanley Clute, RCNA Archivist, diligently worked on the project, whipping 148 page of facts together, spending hundreds upon hundreds of hours gathering up information. corresponding with many people who could contribute. For his hard work, he was honoured with a special Presidential Award at the 2000 Ottawa CNA Convention.

The book traces the history of the RCNA from events leading up to its inception in 1950 to the Golden Anniversary Year of 2000. The hard covered, nine by six inch 148 page book, is chock full of not only widely known facts, but covers much little known and/or unpublished material along with an abundance of photos, some of which have not been published before.

The Royal Canadian Numismatic Association
5694 Highway #7 East, Suite 432
Markham ON Canada L3P IB4

Cost of $18.00, which includes postage to Canadian and U.S. addresses. If 5 or more books are ordered at one time and shipped to the same address, the cost is reduced to $15.00 each.

The Royal Canadian Numismatic Association is devoted to serving those who enjoy coin collecting/numismatics by promoting fellowship, communication, education and providing advocacy and leadership for the hobby.

Adding a book to one's numismatic library is always a good thing. I have a special place in my heart for histories of numismatic organizations - these are the history of our hobby, containing great information about people and events not often found elsewhere.

The book is bound in a deep blue pebbled faux-leather cover and illustrated throughout with black and white photos. Each of the five main chapters covers a decade of the society's existence. Included are recollections from key society officers including Sheldon Carroll and J. Douglas Ferguson.

From Sheldon Carroll:

I remember the night I said to the bunch of us.. why don't we organize a coin club? And I met with stony silence. I finally got some comments from some of them, "What purpose would it be? Why would you organize? We've got ten or twelve people here. We're happy. We meet. We talk about coins all evening and do some trading and go home. Why do we need a coin club?"

I said, "Well there.. if we had a coin club maybe the word would get around and we'd get some more members." "Oh, no, no, no," they said. I found it hard to argue with the other guys who had lived in Ottawa all their lives. Here I was, an out-of-town boy. They said, "No, no, this is all the coin collectors there are," they said, "there was a policeman in Ottawa who collected coins but he moved away about ten years ago. No, there aren't any more coin collectors. This is all there are."

Finally, one or two guys sort of supported the idea and we decided to organize as the Ottawa Coin Club.

By the end of the first year the group had over 100 members. The book is full of great anecdotes like this together with reports on the society's conventions, publications, auctions and other events over the years. Appendices cover the RCNA's Educational Forums, conventions, awards and exhibits. I recommend the book to all collectors and students of the history of organized numismatics.

-Editor