SYDNEY MINES - Rev. Dr. Bernard O'Connor knows money.
For more than 40 years, O'Connor has collected, studied and shared information on rare coins and currency.
"I started collecting when I was about 12 years old, growing up in Sydney Mines, and over the years my collection evolved from one cent to its present status."
O'Connor's rare collection was auctioned by Geoffrey Bell Auctions of New Brunswick in late July for about $550,000. The entire proceeds went to JD Ferguson Historical Research Foundation finances research and study, which provides funds for publishing and related activities in the numismatic (study of money) field.
"My collection was never an investment. You never see a Brinks truck pulling up to a funeral parlour, we can't take it with us," O'Connor said. "I planned for years that proceeds from the auction of the collection would go to an educational foundation to assist students who are studying the history of currency or for people doing research."
O'Connor, who has no heirs, looks at the auction of his beloved collection as a way of perpetuating a legacy of personal interest and involvement for himself and his family.
"I had a great hobby that did me well for over 45 years. I belonged to organizations and clubs and attended conferences all over the world, but it's job is done and it is time to move on," he said. "I've had the joy of working with it, owning it and mentoring people on how to develop collections and do documentable research. There is no sadness about this at all, it was a great blessing."
He noted that people's response to the recession helped with the sale of the collection, adding that there were over 1,000 mailed in bids and another 1,000 bids on Ebay.
O'Connor loved nothing better than going to shows and lecturing on his collection to students and community groups.
"Coins and currency have political, social and religious implications, all aspects of life are reflected in currency," he said. "As a university professor, I used my collection in my political science courses. You can follow the development of nations and continents by its coins and banknotes."
The 1921 half-dollar, the most valuable piece in Canada, went for $36,000. The collection, which was auctioned off in units, included Canadian four- and 25-dollar bills and a 1935 bilingual issue, as well as a framed 10-shilling banknote dating back to the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1742 and a French banknote dated 1720 and rare currency called 'card money'.
O'Connor, who spends each August visiting with relatives in Cape Breton, is back in Rome where he is serving in the Vatican's Congregation for Eastern Churches (with responsibility for India).
jcollins@cbpost.com
Coin collector parts with rare and valuable collection
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Published on
September 24, 2009
- Published on February 18, 2010
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Julie Collins
Cape Breton Post
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Comments
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- Dont be fooled
- - March 25, 2010 at 10:51:29
This is the second time this story has been posted. I'll say the samething I said before. Maybe the good priest could have donated them to the lawsuit instead of asking parishoners to come up with the money for the lawsuits committed by O'Connors buddies. His Brothers if you will. I'm guessing the Vatician didn't need the coins. Probably not enough room under the Vatician, with all the gold and art taken from the Jews during the war. I wonder why some Catholics seem to think they can buy their way to Heven.
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- hector
- - February 22, 2010 at 18:01:44
whyisn't that a nice gesture- almost like an investment inthe study ofcapitalism by the vatican-i collected money as a kid but didn't have enough to go to any conferences-
maybe father should have waited a month so hecould donate itto the children of the diosease who now have aclaim instead of asking the parishinors to fork out more money-for conferences
does not anyone see the hypocrisy ina priest being worht a half a million dollars- and then giving it away to study coin collecting?holy family guy -
- Dont be fooled
- - February 22, 2010 at 17:47:35
This is the second time this story has been posted. I'll say the samething I said before. Maybe the good priest could have donated them to the lawsuit instead of asking parishoners to come up with the money for the lawsuits committed by O'Connors buddies. His Brothers if you will. I'm guessing the Vatician didn't need the coins. Probably not enough room under the Vatician, with all the gold and art taken from the Jews during the war. I wonder why some Catholics seem to think they can buy their way to Heven.
