Red Deerians have the chance to see if their antique treasure or collector’s item is actually worth a pretty penny.
The Great Canadian Roadshow is now on until Friday at Red Deer Lodge. No affinity to the PBS-televised Antiques Roadshow, this show offers people the opportunity to see if their silver, gold coins, scrap gold or other collectibles will fetch a good price.
Experts at the roadshow do a free evaluation.
Over a period of eight hours on Monday, a total of 82 appointments between individual staff and those individuals or groups who wanted their items evaluated and examined for free.
Staff buyer Shane Pye will use a bright light and magnifying glass to take a closer look.
“We use magnets so we can separate coins more easily,” said Pye. “Silver coins will not hold onto a magnet, but a nickel coin will. After 1967, we went to nickel coins in Canada.”
He was impressed with one item — a cheque-writing machine from about 1913 that was in good condition.
“People don’t necessarily have things that are of good value,” Pye added.
Red Deer’s Barry Thull brought in a King George V silver dollar coin from 1936. He was told its value was about $10.
Thull left with his coin because he said that if it’s graded through a Canadian coin appraisal company, he would receive at least $200 for it. Through this means, he would receive a certificate and a specific grading. He hasn’t done this yet because he’s not an avid coin collector.
“I got this coin from a friend a long time ago,” said Thull. “I don’t just want to give it away.”
George Atkey dropped by the show to see if they had picked up a Military Cross with bar. His father Alfred was a Canadian First World War pilot who received two of these and has since died.
“They’ve gone missing,” said Atkey of Red Deer. “Very few were given out. They were given for gallantry.”
But no such luck this time, so Atkey will keep on with his search. The roadshow staff offered to keep an eye out.
A.J. King, manager of the Great Canadian Roadshow’s western division in Calgary, said many people have brought in coins, so far.
One woman showed up with a coin collection that her husband had bought at one time and now it was taking up space in the closet. She walked out the door with a cheque of about $1,000.
“We’re sent out by about 70,000 collectors worldwide to go and seek out things,” King said, adding the collectors pay an association fee with the company.
King said they look at the value of what the item is made of, and secondly, its collectable value.
“So we then look at how can we pay you higher,” he said.
The show runs 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Red Deer Lodge at 4311 49th Ave.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com