1958 Canadian Numismatic Association Auction

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I recently acquired an original copy of the 1958 Canadian Numismatic Association Convention Sale Catalogue including a copy of the prices realized.

The sale was conducted by the Canada Coin Exchange at the 5th Annual Convention at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa on September 5 and 6, 1958.

Some of the more interesting paper money lots are as a follows:

Lot 524: $2 1897 EF Rare thus - Sold for $23.00

Lot 529:  $4 1900 "A" Series No. 000002 Crisp Unc.  An extremely rare low numbered note in perfect condition - Sold for $251.50

Lot 539: Newfoundland $5 1908 Unc. but trace of folding. Extremely rare - Sold for $200.00
Note: this contradicts Charlton Catalogue which states "No Known Issued Notes".  An image of this note is included in the auction catalogue and the serial number is 22044

Lot 557: $500 1935 English Fine - Sold for $525.00

Lot 570: 1954 Devil's head $1, $2, $5, $10, $20. Serial number is 20, and is the same on each note - Sold for $45.00  (Note: sold for $7 above face)

Lot 571: 1954 Devil's head $50 & $100, Serial No. 30 - Sold for $155.00 (Note: sold for $5 above face)

Lot 572: 1954 Devil's head $1000.  Serial No. 30 - Sold for $1005.00

Lot 574: 1954 Devil's head $1, $2, $5. Asterisk (Star Notes). Unc.  - Sold for $10.50

Lot 575: 1954 Devil's head $10 & $20. Asterisk (Star Notes). Unc. - Did not sell (estimate was $35)

And of interest to any coin collectors out there:

Lot 131:  1921 Halve THE KING OF CANADIAN COINS IN CHOICE UNCIRCULATED.  See enlarged illustration on front cover - Sold for $3000

Where is my time machine when I need it 

There is a large number of Chartered Bank Notes in this auction as well which I will review.  I will post and interesting lots in the near future.

I also acquired the 1961 Canadian Numismatic Association Convention Sale Catalogue along with prices realized.  I will post from this auction later as well.  Two lots of interest are 844 (1925 Dominion of Canada $500 in Abt. Unc) and 845 (1925 Dominion of Canada $1000 in Abt. Unc.).  Images are included in the auction catalogue.  This is of interest because the highest grade in the catalogue for the 1925 $1000 is EF.  You will not believe what these two notes sold for 

I second the time machine motion!! a very small premium on the $1000 DF note....seller probably took a loss after commission...

Such low prices!  However, I'd rather keep my youth than to travel back in time....   

Lot 575: 1954 Devil's head $10 & $20. Asterisk (Star Notes). Unc. - Did not sell (estimate was $35)

OMG I don't know whether to laugh or cry! These notes in plain ol' UNC60 are worth about $17,000 as a pair and nobody would pay even $5 over face value for TWO UNC DF replacement notes? I mean it was 1958 so the modified series was already out for at least a year.

I giggle at some of the prices in my Charlton's 1991 catalogue but I seriously would love to have a time machine going back to the day before that sale in 1958. Of course before time travelling, I'd have to be mindful to convert all of my assets low/mid grade modified 1954 Beattie-Coyne notes with the appropriate prefixes for 1958. 

If you have some spare time I'd love to see some scans from this auction catalogue...again, though, I don't know if I would end up laughing or crying.

I recently acquired an original copy of the 1958 Canadian Numismatic Association Convention Sale Catalogue including a copy of the prices realized.

*LOL* on the "original copy".  Gotta love a good oxymoron! 
You're absolutely sure it's not one of the numerous fake 1958 CNA catalogues on the market?  Or did you mean "original" as in never pressed or cleaned?  Sure hope it doesn't have any pinholes or pen marks either. 
Can you tell I have not had much sleep in the previous 48 hours??

Where is my time machine when I need it 

If time machines existed, the prices realized in the auction would be considered HIGH by today's standards because everyone would have everything.  Well, maybe not the Dominion $500 and $1000 notes as you would need to trade in a lot of lower denomination period notes to get those, if they could be obtained easily (which I doubt).

I also acquired the 1961 Canadian Numismatic Association Convention Sale Catalogue along with prices realized.  I will post from this auction later as well.  Two lots of interest are 844 (1925 Dominion of Canada $500 in Abt. Unc) and 845 (1925 Dominion of Canada $1000 in Abt. Unc.).  Images are included in the auction catalogue.  This is of interest because the highest grade in the catalogue for the 1925 $1000 is EF.  You will not believe what these two notes sold for 

I will go out on a limb here and say that overgrading notes for sale is not something that was invented in the past 20 years.   
The point is, no matter where or when an auction took place, you can't put 100% confidence in the accuracy of descriptions for anything.  Actually, come to think of it, there were no grading standards for paper money at that time.  The CPMS didn't come into existence until 1964.

OMG I don't know whether to laugh or cry! These notes in plain ol' UNC60 are worth about $17,000 as a pair and nobody would pay even $5 over face value for TWO UNC DF replacement notes? I mean it was 1958 so the modified series was already out for at least a year.

I giggle at some of the prices in my Charlton's 1991 catalogue ...

Well, not that anyone would bother to ask, but I neither laughed nor cried simply because I have no yardstick for determining whether those prices realized in 1958 were strong or weak.  I missed that sale because I did not exist for another couple of decades.  And, lest this become a repeated theme in my posts, I think way too many people put way too much confidence in modern pricing of notes.  While I agree that those 1958 prices look low, I'm not sure if the realistic value of notes today are closer to 1958 levels or the market peak that occurred 50 years later.