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Company Profile Michael
Walsh first became fascinated with coins in 1955 when his grandfather gave him a
cigar box full of old tokens, large cents and fish scales (silver five cent
pieces). The local librarians saw much of him over the ensuing months as he
researched and organized his new hobby. Pocket change in the mid-fifties still
contained a surprising amount of Victorian silver, as well as a good supply of
Edward VII and George V pieces, so it was natural for Michael to collect these.
"I had both a morning and an afternoon paper route, and I delivered the
Star Weekly on Saturdays. Not only did these provide me with the necessary
funding for my growing collection, but because I encouraged my customers to pay
me with older coins, it also became a good source." Michael
spent his school lunch hours in the banks, searching through the rolls.
"All the tellers in Moncton knew me, and would put the odd things aside for
me. My greatest find was a 1921 fifty cent piece in a roll at the Royal Bank on
Main Street (it would be a $40,000 coin today) and that find still drives me to
this day. I'm always searching for the elusive, knowing that I won't find it if
I don't look. I know that there are still some $15,000 1969 large date ten cent pieces
out there in pocket change." His interest in numismatics continued throughout his career as a Naval Officer, and after retiring in 1981, Michael began quietly dealing with private clients - buying, selling and building collections. He delighted in filling want lists and over the years put together for one client a complete Canadian and Maritime collection which the knowledgeable consider one of the finest business strike collections ever assembled. As his vest-pocket business grew, Michael incorporated it as the Canadian Coinoisseur, inc. Corporate structure notwithstanding, he continued to run a hands-on, private client operation, specializing condition-rare Canadian coins. Working from an office by appointment only, from his tables at the major coin shows and through this website, rather than from a storefront, gave him great flexibility to travel in search of coins. In April 1998, Michael began conducting public numismatic auctions, and since then he has conducted twenty-two sales. He was appointed Official Auctioneer for the 1999 and the 2000 Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers (CAND) Shows as well as for the 2000 and 2002 Canadian Numismatic Association (CNA) Conventions. Then beginning in February 2001, he has conducted thirteen sales as Official Auctioneer for Torex®, Canada’s oldest and most important coin show. Michael is the Immediate President and a Life Member of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association. He is a Life Member of the Canadian Paper Money Society, of the American Numismatic Association, of the Ontario Numismatic Association, of the Vancouver Numismatic Society and of the North Shore Numismatic Society, and he is a Past President of the Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers. As a diversion, Michael enjoys boating. He has been active in the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron as an instructor, and he has served as the Training Officer and as the Commander of the Vancouver Squadron. He and his partner Edi are currently heading out on their new fifty-foot cutter, Sequitur on a slow and thorough circumnavigation. Further information on the boat and the adventure can be found at: www.yacht-sequitur.ca This page was last updated on 06 September 2009 |
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#345 Unit 101 Best viewed on MS Internet Explorer. Site constructed and maintained by Michael Walsh ©1993-2009 |