Expanding the collection, one rabbit-nickel at a time
The clinking of coins filled the second floor conference room at the Ramada. Collectors milled around, eyeing rarities from around the world, looking to plug the holes in their collections.
The 51st annual Saskatoon Coin and Stamp Show ran Saturday and Sunday. Vendors from all around the prairies and Western Canada were there to hawk their wares.
“Most people have a list, or something they’re looking for,” said Dwayne Miner, a Calgary-based vendor who makes his living selling stamps.
Canadian stamps were the big seller for Miner this weekend — as is the norm — but he also had people looking for birds, flowers or even Egyptian stamps. Every collector has their own interests.
“I think part of it is the history. They’re frankly miniature pieces of art,” said Miner.
Attendants ranged from hobbyists to full-on professionals.
“For some people it’s a full time job. Others it’s part time. Sometimes the part time almost becomes full time,” said Cliff Beattie, president of the Saskatoon Coin Club.
About 300 people were expected to show up each day this weekend. Combining coins and stamps makes for a better turnout, even though Beattie jokes that coin people and stamp people sometimes have trouble getting along.
“We get along good. If it wasn’t for the joint show, it wouldn’t be nearly as good,” said Ernie Wlock, president of the Saskatoon Stamp Club.
For Wlock, collecting is about both the history and the rush of a big score.
“It’s a little square of paper that you used to buy for one or two cents, and before you know it, it could be worth thousands of dollars,” he said, citing a recent example where a club member put a stamp on eBay expecting a couple of dollars but ended up with almost $500.
The local stamp scene has picked up a bit in recent years, according to Wlock, although they have trouble connecting with younger generations.
“We can’t get the youth, because it’s not on their iPad,” said Wlock.
Judging by the crowd at the show, he was mostly right, but there was at least one exception. Daniel Comben, an 11-year-old, was browsing the show with his parents.
“My parents got me into it. I have them to thank,” said Comben, who likes stamps and coins simply because, “They’re interesting.”
He added to his collection this weekend, picking up a nickel from 1967 that had a rabbit on it, rather than the usual beaver. Although he is usually into military imagery, on Saturday he said the rabbit nickel was his new favourite item.
Time will tell if Comben keeps pursuing the hobby, but it’s young collectors like him that turn into vendors like Miner, who started at 12 years old and now, decades late, gets to travel the country doing something he loves.
“I’m one of the fortunate people in this world who guest to turn his hobby into a business and look forward to going to work every day,” said Miner.