About us

About us

Le30sou inc. is a family business. We are numismatists with a wide range of interests in both ancient and modern coins. Our expertise is established in the collectible coin trade which includes errors, varieties, banknotes, medals, scripts, tokens, numismatic literature and collector's accessories. We are members of the Ottawa Numismatic Society (ONS) and the Royal Numismatic Association of Canada (RNAC).

Why did you choose the name Le 30sou for the company?

First of all, where does the phrase come from? << Four thirty cents for a piaster >>. Under the French colonies, you could find many forms of currency circulating in Upper and Lower Canada. The PIASTRE had been circulating since the sixteenth century and made its way to the Americas. Under the British sterling system of currency in the 19th century, 120 cents equaled 5 shillings or 1 crown. One crown (120 cents) divided into 4 was 30 cents.

In the early 19th century, to facilitate trade with the United States, the British decided that 1 Dollar would equal 1 Crown. The word piastre was used by French Canadians as the common name for the dollar. Thus, for French Canadians, four thirty cents would be equivalent to one dollar (piastre or crown).

In 1858, the new Canadian government adopted decimal currency like our American neighbors. Our Canadian monetary system has remained the same ever since (100 cents to the dollar). To this day, French-speaking Canadians continue to use 30 sous to designate a 25-cent coin.

You can see how complex the exchange system was in Canada by looking closely at this 1837 merchant's script. There are four different currencies identified on this one note (30 cents, 2 reals, 15 pence and quarter).

We chose Le30sou as our company name as a recognition of our French Canadian heritage.

Ebay customer reviews

  • « A great looking coin, as always, shipped quickly and very securely! I'm glad to be a repeat buyer! »

  • « I’m Happy with my purchase of the FRANCE CHARLEMAGNE Dynastie des Carolinges Medal #18143. Seller was courteous in his communication skills with the shipping & handling from Canadian Post & USPS. Great care was given to package security, as the metal was received in excellent condition. Thanks. »

  • « Always something interesting to find with this seller. The final piece was even more appealing than the posting. »

  • « If you're going to buy from this seller, you should have extreme confidence. He's honest. The way he described the item is accurate. He shipped the item the next day. Without a doubt I would buy from this seller again and I would definitely recommend him. »

Important message

The store will be closed on Sunday February 18th 2024. We will be at the Coin-A-Rama Show in Oshawa, ON:
http://www.oshawacoinclub.com/coinshow.html
We will monitor our email inbox for urgent requests.
We are sorry for the inconveniences this may cause.
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Please note that we are open by appointment only.

Our eBay store is more active then ever. Discover here.

Do not hesitate to contact us to make an appointment by phone at 819 643-3033.

Le30sou

372 rue St-Louis
Gatineau J8P 8B3

819 643-3033

Business hours

  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: 10:00am to 9:00pm
  • Friday: 10:00am to 4:00pm
  • Saturday: 10:00am to 4:00pm
  • Sunday: 10:30am to 3:00pm
  • Please note that we work by appointment only.
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Member of:
Ottawa Numismatic Society (ONS)
Royal Canadian Numismatic Association (RCNA)

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