Hundreds in B.C. wait for hours to purchase new Canadian coins
A Royal Canadian Mint event at Aberdeen Centre in Richmond, B.C., drew hundreds of people willing to wait in line for a chance to buy new limited edition Canadian coins at face value.
The mint put a limit on the number of coins each person could buy because the demand was so high.
"It's a bit overwhelming. We would have preferred to bring a lot more coins to serve everybody," said Rob Alain, the mint's precious metals sales manager. "Obviously the demand is through the roof and we'll have to come back to greet these people in this city, as well."
The event was held at a Canada Post office inside a store called Oomomo over three days – with coin collectors lining up five hours before the store opened on Sunday which was the final day.
Maria Shystko said she was waiting in line to purchase coins for a friend who is out of town.
"I actually was really surprised. I didn't actually expect such a long line because I am not a collector myself. So, for me it was really interesting how many people are lined up," Shystko said. "I heard from one of the employees that some people have been lined up since six o'clock in the morning."
According to Alain, two coins in particular have been quite popular with the public and led to the big turnout.
"Back in the summer, we issued a new $1 coin for the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables," he said. "And we also brought the new $2 coin celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, which I think may be one of the drivers today."
Both coins also feature King Charles III on one side.
It's not the first time the new monarch has appeared on a Canadian coin, but that may have also been a draw for fans of the monarchy.
"It would be the second Canadian coin program special coin that has King Charles III on it," Alain said. "But we did issue some King Charles coins back in late 2023 and then commenced with a 2024 production as a mass production for commerce."
The new $2 coin celebrating the RCAF also features a number of aircraft spanning from the Second World War-era planes to modern day fighter jets.
The mint produced two million of each of the special coins in colour and another one million that do not include colourized aspects.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Inflation is down, wages are up. Why are Canadians still frustrated with the economy?
The federal finance minister has been taking every opportunity to remind frustrated Canadians that after a bumpy pandemic recovery, the nation's economy is actually doing a lot better.
'It looks quite real': Two Ontarians lose money to fake phone scam
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
America reaches Election Day and a stark choice between Trump and Harris
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor approached its finale on Election Day as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Months after VRBO booking, Taylor Swift fan told home 'not available' during Vancouver concert
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
New homeowners find skeleton in attic 15 years after previous occupant disappeared
Homeowners in France have discovered a skeleton in the attic of an outbuilding while undertaking renovation work.
Australian foreign minister raises allegations with Indian counterpart of targeting Sikhs in Canada
Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday she raised allegations with her Indian counterpart that India has targeted Sikh activists in Canada.
Surprise swing state? Iowa poll has Harris suddenly leading
Based on victories in the past two elections and polls leading up to Tuesday’s election, Donald Trump had seemed almost certain to win Iowa, but a new poll has Kamala Harris with a sudden three-point lead.
Canada Post, union, still disagree over weekend delivery following weekend talks
Canada Post and the union representing its workers are commenting on how weekend talks for a new contract went, with the employer calling them less productive than they'd hoped and the union claiming their employer is focused on flexibility to deliver parcels at the lowest possible cost.