Strong prices were realized on many of the lots in the first Torex® Auction of the new millennium. The sale was catalogued by Michael Walsh, the Canadian Coinoisseur and conducted in two sessions on the 23rd and 24th of February, at the Primrose Hotel in Toronto. Walsh reported that re-auction mail bids were aggressive with many of the 948 lots in the sale being bid above catalogue before the first hammer fell. There were several price records established.

As has been the case for the past several major Canadian sales, some of the more competitive bidding was for the choicer red copper pieces. This time though, George VI pieces, both Newfoundland and Canadian, also entered the fray. Said Walsh after the sale, "I think more collectors are realizing that these pieces are now 50 and 60 years old and more, and they are still relative bargains at current Trends prices". And it wasn't just with the red copper that George VI prices were high. Most of the high-grade 5 cent, 10 cent and 25 cent pieces were also bid quite strongly. Walsh told us that "gem examples of these denominations seldom come up at auction, and when they do, they attract the attention their rarity deserves. That's why we saw in this auction many of them selling above Trends." Some of the highlights of the sale were: (all prices including the 10% Buyer's Fee)

Lot 17 - 1935 French Text $25 Bank of Canada in VF sold for $2475;

Lot 49 - Bank of Montreal 1839 Side View Half Penny Token, Breton 524 in ICCS EF 45 sold for $1,430;

Lot 59 - unique 1972 set of Nova Scotia proofs and die trials for a proposed medal sold for $1,815;

Lot 144 - 1909C Sovereign in PCGS MS 63 sold for $2,420;

Lot 202 - 1861 New Brunswick Cent in ICCS MS 64 RD sold for $1,650;

Lot 233 - 1940 DD Newfoundland Cent in PCGS MS 64 RB sold for $990;

Lot 238 - 1942 Newfoundland Cent in ICCS MS 64 RD sold for $660;

Lot 257 - 1944C Newfoundland 5 Cent in PCGS MS 64 sold for $880;

Lot 268 - 1882H Newfoundland 10 Cent in ICG AU 58 sold for $3,850;

Lot 356 - 1913 Canadian Large Cent in ICCS MS 65 RD sold for $1,430;

Lot 382 - 1922 Canadian Cent in ICCS MS 63 RD sold for $1,100;

Lot 390 - 1925 Canadian Cent in PCGS MS 65 RB sold for $2,090;

Lot 398 - 1932 Canadian Cent in PCGS MS 65 RD sold for $1,100;

Lot 413 - 1939 Canadian Cent in ICCS MS 66 RD sold for $286;

Lot 428 - 1945 Canadian Cent in ICCS MS 64 RD sold for $302.50;

Lot 572 - 1953 SF Mule Canadian 5 Cent in ICCS AU 50 sold for $1,485;

Lot 586 - 1885 Canadian 10 Cent in NGC MS 65 sold for $28,000;

Lot 683 - 1943 Canadian 10 Cent in ICCS MS 65 sold for $314.60;

Lot 688 - 1947 Canadian 10 Cent in ICCS MS 65 sold for $236.50;

Lot 738 - 1909 Canadian 25 Cent in ICG & ICCS MS 64 sold for $4,730;

Lot 760 - 1931 Canadian 25 Cent in ICG MS 67 sold for $14,300;

Lot 795 - 1943 Canadian 25 Cent in PCGS & ICCS MS 66 sold for $825;

Lot 811 - 1951 HR Canadian 25 Cent in ANACS MS 68 sold for $770;

Lot 828 - 1892 Canadian 50 Cent in ICCS VF 20 sold for $484;

Lot 830 - 1906 Canadian 50 Cent in ICCS MS 63 sold for $4,125;

Lot 850 - 1921 Canadian 50 Cent in ICCS VG 8 sold for $19,800;

Lot 854 - 1932 Canadian 50 Cent in PCGS MS 63 sold for $8,470;

Lot 894 - 1935 Canadian Dollar in ICCS MS 64 PQ+ sold for $335.50;

Lot 911 - 1947 P7 Canadian Dollar in ICCS MS 63 sold for $1,292.50;

Michael Walsh told us "there were several new buyers in the sale whose competitive bidding added an extra increment or two and carried the prices higher. My overall impression from this auction", said Walsh, "is of a strong and ready market for the choicest pieces and a continuing healthy one for key dates and other attractive items."