By 1954, a new trend was beginning to emerge for the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association as annual meetings evolved into annual conventions. Working with the Toronto Coin Club as host, the first such convention was held in Toronto in 1954. The conventions offered an agenda of educational forums, bourse activity, competitive exhibits with awards to the winners, and a closing banquet, with the highlight being a special guest speaker. . It was also in 1954 that the association issued its first ever medal to commemorate the event. The tradition of an annual convention and a convention medal continues to this very day. The Canadian Numismatic Association's official seal would eventually be used on many convention medals. The seal is an adaptation of Emmanuel Hahn's famous “Voyageur” design, which was used on Canadian Silver Dollars since 1935. The first year that this seal was eventually used was 1963. The original die was engraved by H.F. Sarson of Pressed Metal Products in Vancouver. The Royal Canadian Numismatic Association's official seal would be used beginning with the 2009 convention medal, following the official name change of the organization in 2008.
Annual Convention Medals Since 1954, the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association has sponsored the striking of a convention medal as a way of commemorating the occasion. The concept was that these medals would be for those attending the event. Eventually, variations were used as awards for those competing in the many convention display exhibits. The annual convention was directed by a host club. Occasionally, the members of the club were responsible for the designing of the medal. The mintages have varied from year to year as the mintage is determined by the host club. The contributing factors will include projected attendance, the economic climate and location of the convention. Consequently, mintages for the medals vary from year to year.
1954 CNA Annual Convention The inaugural CNA Convention was held at Toronto’s King Edward Hotel on August 23 and 24, 1954. The Toronto Coin Club hosted the occasion and the guest speaker was Peter Seaby of London, England. To commemorate the event, a medal was issued for the attendees of the convention. The designer was P.S. Favro and it was struck with the participation of the H. Barnard Stamp & Stencil Company, from Hamilton, Ontario. Eventually, the dies were turned over to the Toronto Coin Club and given to the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association on permanent loan in 1981.
NOTE 1: The silver version was a duplicate of the brass version. It was presented as an award in November 1954 to P.S. Favro. The award acknowledged his work on the Convention. A second version exists as well. ALTERNATE VERSIONS: In 1962, the medallion was restruck in Sterling Silver. This was to acknowledge the 26th Anniversary of the Toronto Coin Club and were sold for $6.00 each. A total of 50 were minted, followed by another 12 in 1967. A brass version was produced in 1967. There were a total of 300 medals that were struck and these are denoted by the letter R that is stamped on the reverse between 1954 and Toronto. The issue price was $3.00 each.
1955 CNA Annual Convention The second CNA Convention was held at Ottawa's Chateau Laurier Hotel on September 5 and 6, 1955. The guest speaker was A.P. Williams, the Master of the Royal Canadian Mint. Pritchard-Andrews Co., based out of Ottawa, struck the medal. The obverse die featured the old arms from the City of Ottawa and had been previously used by Pritchard-Andrews for various commemorative medals. Pritchard-Andrews retained the design once more for the CNA's medal. The reverse die has been lost but featured the wording: “Canadian Numismatic Association – Chapter No. 1 - Ottawa Host to Convention – Sept 7 & 8, 1955.” Regrettably, the medals were struck from clashed dies and a cracked obverse die.
1956 CNA Annual Convention The third CNA Convention was held in London, Ontario on September 21 and 22, 1956. Birks Jewellers designed and struck the official convention medals, although the dies were destroyed in 1973. The medal was of octagonal shape and featured the arms of the city of London. In later years, the obverse die was used to strike bronze medals that commemorated the 100th meeting (in 1959) and the 250th meeting (in 1971) of the London Numismatic Society.
1957 CNA Annual Convention The fourth CNA Convention was held in Hamilton, Ontario on August 30 and 31, 1957. The Hamilton Coin Club hosted the event. The guest speaker was J.D. Ferguson, and recounted “Memories of Fifty Years in Numismatics.” The obverse of the medal displays the host city's coat of arms.
NOTE: Two Sterling Silver versions were created as awards. They had an antique finish with the words BIRKS/STERLING impressed on the edge. It weighed 21.7 grams, was specially cased, and one was presented to J.D. Ferguson.
1958 CNA Annual Convention The fifth CNA Convention was held in Ottawa, Ontario from September 4 to 6, 1958. The Ottawa Coin Club hosted the event. The guest speaker was Harold Don Allen. The obverse of the Convention medal featured the new heraldic arms of the City of Ottawa, as designed by Lt.-Cmdr Allan Beddoe. The medal was designed and struck by Birks Jewellers of Ottawa. Like the 1956 Convention dies, the 1958 dies were destroyed too. The medal also commemorates the Centenary of the establishment of decimal coinage in Canada and the 50th year of operation of the Royal Canadian Mint.
1959 CNA Annual Convention The 1959 CNA Annual Convention marked the first time that it was held outside of Ontario. It was held in Regina, Saskatchewan at the Hotel Saskatchewan from September 2 to 4, 1959. Mr. J. Douglas Ferguson was the guest speaker. Mr. Cec Tannahill and Mr. J.C. Summerlin designed the scalloped shaped medal. Birks Montreal then struck the medal, and Birks destroyed the dies after the medals were produced.
1960 CNA Annual Convention The seventh annual event was held in Sherbrooke, Québec from August 18 to the 20 at the New Sherbrooke Hotel. The guest speaker was Major Sheldon S. Carroll and the medal that was presented was larger than in previous years. The medal was in the form of a plaquette with a wooden mount and the design was an adaptation of the Habitant penny of 1852 with suitable convention legends. Canadian Artistic Dies Ltd. of Sherbrooke struck the medal. The medal was struck from a die engraved by O. Lombardo.
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