Crest Ontario Numismatic Association

    As It Grows, It Gathers Strength

Medals from Previous Annual Conventions

Annually, associated with the Association's Convnetion, The Ontario Numismatic Association, will issue medals as a souvenir of the convention. The medals, sold at the convention, are typically issued in three metals: Copper, Brass and Silver; although exceptions do exist.

The design of the medal's Obverse is chosen each year by the hosting club organizing committee in conjunction the O.N.A. executive committee.

The Reverse of the medal depicts the official crest of the Association. Described as follows in heraldic terms: Fess points – Shield. Shield description: On the Dexter, Middle, Sinister, and Honour Point the Cross of Saint George. Cross heraldic coloured red (vertical lines). Fess Point, Nombrill Point, and Middle Base, the Trillium Flower, (Province of Ontario flower). Shield surmounted by the Edward crown. Wreath: Three-quarter wreath in field, dominating the Dexter, Middle, and Sinister Base. Inscription reads: Ontario Numismatic Association Founded 1962.

 2022 60th Convention Medal 

Our 60th convention medal design was chosen from designs submitted to the convention committee.

We are honouring one of the founders of the Ontario Numismatic Association, Mr. William English. Sixty years ago, Bill co-founded the ONA and has been an amazing ambassador of numismatics.To learn more about Bill’s adventure be sure to read the article in the Convention Booklet.
Available for purchase: Copper $20 – 80 struck; Brass $20 – 25 struck; Silver $70 – 30 struck

 

 2012 50th Convention Medal 

Our 50th convention medal was chosen by a special committee and celebrates the O.N.A.s Golden, 50th Anniversary! The medal committee, through the direction of the executive, sponsored a design competition open to all.

The final design of the medal was based on the submission by the well known medal designer John Jaciw. The central point of the design is the White Trillium in full bloom, with the associations acronym in relief on the petals. The trillium, the provinces official flower, is brought to full splendor from the association arms; represents the life and pride of the O.N.A.

 

 2011 49th Convention Medal 

Our 49th Annual Convention Medal commemorates 50 years of the Ingersoll Coin Club.  It is only fitting we used a symbol of a Canadian Beaver which is a major part of who we are as Canadians and was a well known part of Ingersoll history. 

 

       

Noxom Brothers Manufacturing and Ingersoll Packing Company both used the Beaver logo in their advertising of their stores and on their canning labels.  The design was submitted by Lois Rogers and this is the first time an animal has appeared on an Ontario Numismatic Association medal.  Initials L.R. appear on the medal. These medals were double-struck by the Great Canadian Mint in Edmonton Aberta Canada.

125 Nickel Silver  33.7  grams, 38.93 mm diameter, 3.6 mm thickness

 45 Brass             32     grams, 38.87 mm diameter, 3.58 mm thickness

40  .9999 Silver   38.85 grams, 38.85 mm diameter, 2.99 mm thickness

There were 35 Copper minted with the reverse side only leaving the obverse blank to engrave the names of the individual volunteers supporting the convention preparation, as well as working the 3-days of the convention.

THE GREAT CANADIAN BEAVER

Historically the Canadian Beaver has served as a major symbol of who we are as Canadians. It all began in the fur trade of the 1600's in which its pelts were in high demand, well into the 19th century. 

In 1678 the iconic Hudson Bay Co. honoured our favourite rodent by putting it on the Shield of its Coat-of-Arms, next came a magazine called the Beaver which is still published today.  Eventually a coin shaped like a beaver equal to 10 pelts.

Canada has honoured the beaver seven times with featuring it on a postage stamp.  We gave the beaver the highest honour in 1937 depicting its likeness on our five cent coinage.

Throughout our great country we are bombarded with logos featuring this animal in the Coat-of-Arms from Provinces, Canadian Pacific Railway, Military, Universities, Police, Lumber Company, Boy Scouts, Airplanes, Quart Sealers, China, Stuffed Toys, Artwork, Parks, Roads, Lodges, Lakes and Cottages -- all proudly featuring the Beaver symbol.

Our medal design was inspired by two manufacturing companies in Ingersoll in the 1850-1925 era.  The Noxon Brothers which produced high quality farm implements and stoves; and, Ingersoll Packing who canned the Beaver meat brand. Both companies used the Canadian beaver in their logos.

It is evident that we Canadians love the second largest rodent in the world (despite a few farm land owner), and its ont mystery why our Super Engineer as we like to call it, is a great part of ou culture long side the Maple Leaf and our Great Lakes.

Let's do what we can to preserve all three, "EH"!

Noxon Manufacturing


This magnificent painted and very heavy piece of 19th century metal Canadiana was probably a stove or heavy machinery decoration from the Noxon foundry and fabricating plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The Noxon family, descendants of United Empire Loyalist stock, started a foundry making stoves and plows in Ingersoll, in 1855. Within a few years Noxon Brothers Manufacturing Company - under James, Samuel, Stephen, Freeman, and Thomas Noxon - had buildings covering five acres that employed some 120 people, making the finest stoves, plows, mowers, power feed cutters, broadcast reapers, and cultivators money could buy. If a horse could pull it, the Noxons built it. Their Hoosier grain drill was the talk of the International Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876. They used the best timber and the best iron to make the best machinery, turning out nothing cheap or frail.

 2010 48th Convention Medal 
Lead die trial

Above are pictures of the 2010 ONA medal, and below is pictured the lead metal strike of the 2010 ONA medal. As host for the 48th ONA Convention, the Kingston Numismatic Association (KNA) had the honour of designing the obverse side of the ONA medal.  There are many buildings that are distinctly Kingstonian but after looking at many very unique pictures the KNA decided to put their focus on one of Kingston's most famous citizens 'Sir John A. Macdonald'. Canada's first Prime Minister was selected as the most appropriate subject for the obverse.  The bust of Sir John A. Macdonald was selected from the design by Derek Rowcliffe, a son-in-law of one of the KNA members (Mike Brennan). 

The Mississauga Mint in Mississauga Ontario was selected to produce the medal with these issues:

  • Custom Design Medallion, copper, struck both sides           =   75
  • Custom Design Medallion, brass, struck both sides             =   40
  • Custom Design Medallion, .999 silver, struck both sides      =   40
  • Custom Design Medallion, lead, struck both sides               =    2
  • Custom Design Medallion, commercial bronze, uniface

Also, a number were minted with reverse side only, leaving the obverse blank to engrave the names of individual volunteers, who are supporting the convention as well as working the 3 days of the event. 

The silver medallion has a rim diameter of 1.455 inches and a weight of 31.217 grams with an average assay of 99.97%.

 Sir John Alexander Macdonald (January 11, 1815 Glasgow Scotland - June 6, 1891 Ottawa Ontario Canada) was the first Prime Minister of Canada (under Monarch Queen Victoria) and the dominant figure of Canadian Confederation. Macdonald's tenure in office spanned 18 years, making him the second longest serving Prime Minister of Canada.  He is the only Canadian Prime Minister to win six majority governments. He was the major proponent of a national railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway, completed in 1885, linking Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.  He won praise for having helped forge a nation of sprawling geographic size, with two diverse European colonial origins, numerous Aboriginal nations, and a multiplicity of cultural backgrounds and political views. Macdonald articled with a lawyer in Kingston, Ontario, leading to a profession as a lawyer, and an occupation as a Politician and Statesman. A few months after he opened his first lawa office in 1835, Macdonald moved with his parents and sisters to this two and a half storey stone house on Kingston's Rideau Street.

(Library and Archives Canada)

 Other Convention Medals 

The Charlton Press Canadian Numismatic Medals 2nd Edition by Bill Cross, Brian Cornwell, Tom Henderson, Tom Rogers (ISBN 9780889683310)

The second edition of Canadian Numismatic Medals has been released. The First Edition, released in 1991, covered only the medals of the Canadian Numismatic Association Conventions for the period 1954 to 1991. The newly revised second edition has been expanded to include the national organization, the RCNA (formerly CNA), and the two regional organizations the APNA and the ONA. This 152 page catalogue (8½" x 11", spiral bound) lists all the souvenir medals issued by these three Canadian Numismatic Institutions.
The APNA (Atlantic Provinces Numismatic Association) first founded in 1966 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is an association of the coin clubs of the cities of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Over the years, between Spring and Fall Rallies, they have sponsored 37 major events. Of all the associations the APNA has issued a more diverse array of souvenir medals, which are spread over a 40 year period.
 
The RCNA (Royal Canadian Numismatic Association) held its first Convention in 1954 (as CNA), and for the next 53 years souvenir medals were issued for each year. Prize medals and award winners at each convention are listed: Best of Show Award, J. Douglas Ferguson Award, Louise Graham Memorial Club of the Year Award, Fellow of the C.N.A. Award, Guy Potter Literary Award, Jerome H. Remick III Literary Award, Local and Regional / National Newsletter Award, and the Jean Bullen Award.
 
The ONA (Ontario Numismatic Association), founded in 1962 at Waterloo, Ontario with the first convention the same year has the second longest line of souvenir medals, 45 years with only one year (1980) missed. The listings include the ONA Award of Merit and the Fellow of the ONA Award winners.
 
This catalogue, the most comprehensive and informative of its kind on the market today, lists and illustrates all the souvenir medals issued by the three largest Canadian numismatic organizations. It is the only guide to offer the collector a complete history of the medals of the APNA, CNA, and the ONA.
 
The 2nd edition of Canadian Numismatic Medals is available from dealers, bookstores and Internet bookstores. Also available from the publisher at the cover prices plus postage.
 

Some medal samples are:     

  • 1964  3rd ONA-Capital City Coin Club (Ottawa) Convention
  • 1990 28th ONA-WCS Convention
  • 1993 31st ONA Convention
  • 1999 37th ONA Convention
  • 2008 46th ONA-Nickel Belt Convention
  • 2009 47th ONA-WCS Convention

  Ontario Numismatic Association (O.N.A.)
  P.O. Box 40033, RPO Waterloo Square, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 4V1, Canada
  Attention: Membership Chairman
    or Email: Membership Information


  This page and website were first created on May 2, 2009 at 8:10 PM; last updated on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 12:12 PM © 2009 - 2024 Ontario Numismatic Assocoation