Collectors from across Ontario and beyond will gather in Ottawa beginning Friday for the 64th annual Ontario Numismatic Association convention, a two-day event packed with dealer booths, educational presentations, auctions, youth programming and social activities.
Hosted by the Ottawa Numismatic Society, the convention runs May 29–30 at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre and coincides with Ottawa’s bicentennial celebrations.
The convention officially opens Friday afternoon with dealer and exhibitor setup followed by the opening of the bourse floor to registrants and the public. Approximately 30 dealers are expected to offer Canadian and world coins, paper money, medals, tokens and collecting supplies throughout the weekend.
Education will play a central role in this year’s convention.
Friday’s symposium sessions begin at 2 p.m. with Trish Gagliardi and Dominique Parent presenting “Library of Parliament 150 yrs,” followed by David Bergeron’s “Numismatics Gleanings from Bytown,” a presentation exploring Ottawa’s early numismatic history.
Saturday’s educational programming continues with Bill Waychison discussing “Canada’s Depression-Era Gold Boom and Today’s 2026 Gold Rush.” Chris Boyer will present “Now Cut that Out,” while François Rufiange will examine one of antiquity’s most famous coins in “The world’s most coveted coin: The Athenian tetradrachm.”
The educational symposium is moderated by Allan Roy.
Several collector organizations will also meet during the convention weekend, including the Canadian Tire Coupon Collector Club and the Canadian Centennial Collectors Club, with both meetings open to members and the public.
Young collectors will again have a major presence at the convention through the RCNA’s “Just For Juniors” program, coordinated nationally by Cassidy Stroud.
Saturday’s activities for youth collectors will include a dedicated youth booth featuring free and low-cost numismatic items, including coins, banknotes, tokens and Royal Canadian Mint products. Young attendees can also participate in games and prize activities throughout the day.
One of the highlights for junior collectors will be the RCNA Coin Kids Auction, where participants receive play money to bid on and win real numismatic items.
Collectors under 18 years old can pre-register for $5, which includes a convention badge and swag bag. Organizers note the youth program is funded entirely through donations of cash and numismatic material.
Friday evening will feature a welcome reception at the Bank of Canada Museum for pre-registered attendees, while the weekend concludes Saturday night with the annual ONA banquet at the Lieutenant’s Pump on Elgin Street.
Another major attraction is expected to be the official Alliance Coin & Banknote auction, featuring more than 500 lots. Among the highlights is a massive 10-kilogram Silver $1,000 Maple Leaf issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, making its first public auction appearance.
Additional featured auction items include a consecutive trio of 1935 Bank of Nova Scotia $10 notes, a rare Oswego Captured Medal from the French and Indian War, an 1881 Carson City Morgan dollar graded PCGS MS-64 and a Byzantine gold solidus of Constans II.
This year’s convention medal also reflects Ottawa’s historic significance. Inspired by the 150th anniversary of the Library of Parliament, the medal was designed by Sean Sinclair and engraved by Matthew Bowen. Versions will be available in silver, brass and copper, with limited mintages for select editions.
Additional information on the convention is available at the-ona.ca.
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