The Canadian Antiquarian and Numismatic Journal

Before the Canadian Coin News and The Canadian Numismatic Journal, there was the Canadian Antiquarian and Numismatic Journal. Started in 1872, Canada's first numismatic periodical was published by Canada's first coin collectors' organization, The Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal.

The Journal was the main vehicle for numismatic research in nineteenth century Canada. It was a forum for such well-known researchers as Adélard Boucher, Eugene Courteau, Alfred Sandham, and possibly the most prolific numismatic writer in Canadian history, R.W. McLachlan.

The society's history of numismatic research began even before its Journal. Boucher and Sandham were responsible for the first two numismatic references published in Canada. The Catalogue of the Silver and Copper Coins of Canada was released in 1863 by a committee chaired by Boucher, and Sandham published Coins, Tokens, and Medals of the Dominion of Canada in 1869.

From its founding, the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal devoted itself to all aspects of history and historical collecting. This was reflected in its Journal's content. The first issue, illustrated here, had articles on American antiquities, ancient Jewish settlements in England, and a history of the Beaver Club of Montreal. Over the years, the Journal's focus drifted further away from numismatics, and articles began to find their way instead into a new publication: The Numismatist. Although it was published in the United States, The Numismatist welcomed articles about numismatics in Canada.

Because of financial shortfalls, the society stopped printing its Journal in 1886. But it was revived three years later with another "volume 1, number 1", but now referred to as Series 2. The Journal was printed off and on until 1933, when it ceased printing entirely.

For years the Canadian Antiquarian and Numismatic Journal was the lone periodical in Canadian numismatics. Another did not appear until 1938 when the Canadian Numismatic Art Society began publishing Money Talks.

Wayne Homren, Editor

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