WILLIAM CROSS (1934-2025)

William “Bill” Cross, widely regarded as a mentor, visionary, and pillar of Canadian numismatics, passed away on Jan. 31, 2025, at the age of 90.

While no public details on his passing have been released, he is survived by his long-time partner, Jean Dale, and his children: William Cross Jr., Mary, Janet, Susan, and Joel.

Michael Findlay, president of the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND), described his longtime friend as instrumental in shaping Canada's numismatic industry.

In his upcoming personal column in Canadian Coin News, Findlay reflects on Bill Cross's unconventional journey into numismatics. Trained as a chemical engineer, he worked for DuPont selling rubber products, travelling regularly to Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. During his spare time, he developed a deep passion for coin collecting, frequently stopping at coin shops along his route. While still working full-time at DuPont, he began buying and selling coins on the side.

When his manager issued an ultimatum, Cross made a life-changing decision—he chose numismatics. In 1964, he left DuPont and founded the Red Cent Coin Company in Toronto. Initially focused on numismatic coins, the business shifted toward gold and silver bullion, as well as bullion-related numismatic coins, following the downturn in the coin market in the mid-1960s.

In 1972, Cross expanded his business by purchasing a coin and stamp supply company from Jack Forbes of Dartmouth, N.S. Forbes had acquired the company from Jim Charlton in 1969, and as part of the transaction, Cross secured the rights to the “Charlton” name, including all copyrights and publishing rights to the renowned Charlton catalogues. With this acquisition, he established Charlton International Publishing and later founded Charlton Numismatics, which grew to become Canada's largest numismatic company.

His influence extended beyond publishing. In 1975, he played a key role in founding the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND).

To read the complete article, see:
Bill Cross: a legacy of leadership in Canadian numismatics (https://canadiancoinnews.com/bill-cross-a-legacy-of-leadership-in-canadian-numismatics/)

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