Tracy Kovalench
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 15/98) - Anyone at the Trade Show last week is sure to have had one in their pocket.

Altogether 15,000 Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce coins commemorating April's commissioning of HMCS Yellowknife into the Canadian Navy have been introduced to the city economy.

This is the second year special coins have been minted to honor the city's floating namesake. Last year launching was honored with a similar coin.

But some Yellowknifers seem to be a bit wary of the extra-large coins.

"A lot of people want to get rid of them because of the expiry date," admits Reddi Mart owner Loc Nguyen.

Both coins are legal tender anywhere in Yellowknife only until Labor Day (Sept. 7). Until then, anyone with either the 1997 or 1998 coin can once again put it to use.

The coins appear to be much more popular in southern climates, however. "We are shipping them out to coin collectors across Canada", said a chamber spokesman.

The 1998 coin will soon be available to collectors plated in bronze, gold and silver.