It was announced that the Royal Canadian Mint was issuing a silver Canadian dollar commemorating the 180th Anniversary of Baseball in Canada. Being a baseball fan, I went to the Royal Canadian Mint’s website to see if the coin was worth adding to my collection. The came sticker shock!
The coin is convex, similar to the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins issued by the U.S. Mint. But that is where the similarities end. The reverse of the Canadian coin features a vintage baseball scene reminiscent of the 19th century inside a baseball-looking design. The obverse has the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. It has a face value of $25 CDN.
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- Reverse of the 180th Anniversary of Canadian Baseball coin (Image courtesy of the Royal Canadian Mint)
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- Reverse design of the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative (Image courtesy of the U.S. Mint)
Then there are the specifications. When I visited the Royal Canadian Mint’s website, I was floored when I noticed the issue price of 159.95 CAD or about $124.82 at the current exchange rate. Here is a comparison of the coins:
| Royal Canadian Mint 180th Anniversary of Canadian Baseball |
U.S. Mint 2014 Hall of Fame Commemorative Silver Dollar |
|
|---|---|---|
| Mintage | 5,000 (limit) | 400,000 (actual) Proof: 268,076 Unc: 131,924 |
| Face Value | 25.00 CAD | 1.00 USD |
| Composition | 99.99% pure silver | 90% silver 10% copper |
| Weight | 30.75 g (0.9886 troy ounce) |
29.73 g (0.9558 troy ounce) |
| Diameter | 36.07 mm | 38.1 mm |
| Silver Value (16.57 USD spot) |
16.38 USD | 14.25 USD |
| Issue Price (1 CAD = 0.78 USD) |
159.95 CAD (124.82 USD) |
Proof: $56.95 (preorder: $51.95) Unc: $52.95 (preorder: $47.95) |
If you want a baseball commemorative coin and do not want to break the bank, you can still find the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Silver Dollar within 20-percent of the issue price in original government packaging (OGP). Even though the artwork is very good, the price of the Canadian coin is too high. At a premium of over 970-percent over spot, it is difficult to justify.
And now the news…
March 5, 2018The Central Bank of Lithuania is calling on tech companies and blockchain experts from across the globe to help in the design and production of a digital collector coin. The Central Bank is organising a hackathon in May for third parties to help in the design and development of the one-off virtual currency. 
→ Read more at finextra.com
March 6, 2018A new commemorative coin was unveiled Oct. 9 to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and honor those Americans who served. The silver dollar coin, authorized by Congress in 2014, features a service member holding a rifle to honor those who fought in the war from 1914 to 1918. → Read more at wadenapj.com
March 6, 2018Major League Baseball came to Canada in the 20th century with the debut of the Montreal Expos in 1969 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977, but that was far from the beginning of the country's history with the game. → Read more at mlb.com
March 6, 2018SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – A design is needed for the Bicentennial Coin to commemorate the Illinois Bicentennial. Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced the Bicentennial Coin Contest on Tuesday. → Read more at wandtv.com
March 7, 2018Reverse of new penny design, showing Abraham Lincoln and the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. (U.S. Mint photo) → Read more at chicagotribune.com
March 7, 2018The Royal Mint is encouraging coin lovers to celebrate the UK “one coin at a time”. The new series of 10p coins were released into circulation on March 1 and features an A to Z of British landmarks, icons and traditions. → Read more at dailystar.co.uk
March 8, 2018A museum has started a bid to buy part of a gold sovereign hoard discovered hidden inside a piano. The find was made in 2016 in Shropshire when the piano's new owners had it retuned and repaired. It has since been declared as treasure. → Read more at bbc.com
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