One of the highlights of the upcoming Heritage April 20-24 World Coins Signature Auction is the Douglas Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, possibly the finest collection of Canadian tokens to have ever been offered in a single auction. This collection will enjoy its own catalog, which is certain to become a key reference in the field.
Long-time dealer Doug Robins began collecting Canadian tokens in the 1970s, and as time passed this became a total passion. Every time a rare token came up that he didn’t have, he bought it. After his death about a year ago, his family contacted Heritage to help disperse the collection, a task we gratefully accepted.
Many of the pieces are rare or even unique. Numerous proof issues are included, as are quite a few extremely rare silver issues. Here are just a few of the highlights:
- North West Company brass Unholed Token 1820 MS61 NGC. Plain edge and possibly unique as such. Extremely rare unholed, and the highest grade of any variety known to us.
- Lower Canada. Pattern BON BOUR DEUX SOUS Penny 1812 PR65 Brown NGC. Only two examples traced, of which this is by far the finest.
- Lower Canada. Gold Wellington Peninsular 1/2 Penny Token ND (c. 1812) UNC Details NGC. Possibly unique and the only example presently available on the market; holed at the top.
- New Brunswick. Ship / St. John’s 1/2 Penny Token ND AU50 Brown NGC. The sole example recorded. The design is presumed to have been rejected because of the erroneous city name (St. John’s instead of St. John).
- SHIPS COLONIES & COMMERCE 1/2 Penny Token ND, Breton-1000 VF30 Brown NGC. The only example of Breton-1000 in private hands, distinguishable by the style of the ship.
View previews of this auction now at HA.com/Coins. Bidding is expected to begin about March 27.
