As a general strategy, materials are acquired to strengthen the depth of the Collection in areas of current specialization and recognized historical interest, i.e., Canadian money and money-related artifacts. Curatorial staff also seek out representative samples of money and artifacts from other cultures and eras. Particularly sought after are items not currently represented in the Collection and artifacts whose provenance or association is of particular importance to Canada’s numismatic heritage.

Articles are acquired through purchase, donations, bequests, trade, loan, and transfer. The Chief Curator is ultimately responsible for ensuring that acquisitions are made in accordance with the principles and guidelines laid out by the Collection’s policy, in consultation with the Collection’s Acquisition Committee and/or other curators.