07-12-2015 – 14-12-2015
Hong Kong Auction
The Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio December Hong Kong Sale to Offer many Rarities
Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio announce details of their upcoming Hong Kong Auction of Chinese and Asian coins and currency, to be held December 8 through December 15 at The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is the leading auctioneer of rare coins and banknotes in Southeast Asia, and this auction features some of the most desirable numismatic material available anywhere in the world, including a number of highly desirable museum quality pieces.
CHINA. Northern Song Dynasty. 3 Cash Pattern in Iron, ND (ca. 1126). Qin Zong (1126-27). Very fine. Estimate: $5,000 – $7,000.
Session A will begin promptly at 10:00 AM Hong Kong time on December 8th, and will comprise Ancient Chinese coins, spade, and knife money, including a pattern 3 Cash in iron from the one-year reign Emperor Qin Zong dated to the 12th century. Wonderfully preserved with no efforts at improvement, the coin is a masterpiece of coinage as well as being of the highest rarity. The sale continues with a grouping of Sycee highlighted by a Hubei province 50 Tael Provincial Tax Ingot weighing an impressive 1,958 grams.
CHINA. Pattern K’uping Tael Struck in Gold, CD (1906). Tientsin Mint. NGC MS-63. Estimate: $160,000 – $200,000.
The fireworks continue as the very first lot in the Empire General Issues section offers an extremely rare cyclically dated (1906) pattern K’uping Tael struck in gold. From the reign of Guang Xu and struck in nearly pure gold, the degree of preservation is astonishing, earning the MS-63 grade from Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. The very next lot brings forward yet another great rarity, a 1907 Ting Wei Pattern Dollar, also graded by NGC, and tied for finest certified in MS-65 condition. Pedigreed to the Chin Family Collection, it is sure to draw spirited bidding. The following lots feature coin after coin from very late in the Empire Period, with many dated 1911 (at the very end of the Qing Dynasty) and in sensational condition.
CHINA. 20 Cents Pattern, ND (1912). PCGS SP-63 Secure Holder. Sun Yat-sen “Memento”. Sharply struck and quite attractive. Estimate: $8,000 – $10,000.
Moving on to Republic General Issues, a number of highly desirable dollar denominated coins will be sold, many in choice to gem brilliant uncirculated, and all certified by either NGC or PCGS. Included in the section is a run of fantastic gold issues, beginning with an undated (1920) gold 20 Cents Pattern Momento “Sun Yat-sen” issue graded SP-63 by PCGS, and followed by an incredible grouping of gold 10 and 20 dollar Yuan Shih-kai coins, 1919. Also extensively represented among Republic General Issues, are no fewer than eight different examples of the 1932 “Birds Over Junk” Dollar, in various conditions to suit nearly every collector. For those who collect only the best, lot 60074 offers an example graded MS-65 by NGC, with blazing luster and nearly all white surfaces.
The sale continues with facing portrait Dollar coins for Yuan Shih-Kai, Hsu Shih Chang, and Tsao Kun in civilian dress, and also includes a pair of extremely rare Pattern Dollars struck in gold. Of the highest rarity, the gold 1916 Hung Hsien with Dragon Reverse, and the gold undated (1924) Peaceful Unification of China commemorative featuring Tuan Chi Jui will be of great interest to advanced collectors. Graded SP-62 and SP-55 respectively, the pair constitutes some of the most desirable coinage from the entire era.
CHINA. Kiangnan. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), ND (1901). PCGS MS-64 Secure Holder. Estimate: $30,000 – $40,000.
Continuing with the Provincial Issues, bidders will be greeted with over 100 desirable coins, many in exceptionally high grade. 7 Mace 2 Candareens Dollars from Chihli, Fengtien, Kiangnan, Kirin, Kwangtung, Szechuan and Yunan are all represented, as are Hunan Dollars, Hupeh Taels and scarce Kweichow Auto and Bamboo Dollars. Among the very best of the section is a pair of 1904 Taels from Hupeh, one each with small and large characters, in MS-62 and AU-55 respectively. Also, of importance are an extremely rare 1901 Kiangnan 7 Mace 2 Candereens with Extra Stroke in MS-64, and a 1901 Kirin 7 Mace 2 Candereens in MS-63, both highly desirable and in fantastic condition. Another similarly denominated and undated (1901-08) coin from Szechuan, with the rare Short Spines attribution should see keen interest and is graded MS-64+ by PCGS. Perhaps the most desirable coin, an undated (1889) Kwangtung 7 Mace 3 Candereens, will be auctioned as lot 60164. Considered one of the first machine-struck issues of Chinese coinage, the surviving number of the type is minuscule, and the coin is without question one of the great rarities among Chinese Provincial Issues.
CHINA. Kweichow. Auto Dollar, Year 17 (1928). PCGS Genuine-Cleaning, AU Details Secure Holder. Estimate: $6,000 – $8,000.
Among Kweichow coinage, the ever-popular 1928 Auto Dollar is represented by no fewer than six examples – an entire used car lot! – including low mileage examples in upper Extremely Fine grades! As desirable as the Auto Dollar coinage is, the final lot from Kweichow is sure to attract extraordinary interest from bidders, an undated (1949) Bamboo Dollar graded as original AU-50 by PCGS, a coin that to date has not been seen in Mint State by PCGS or NGC. Struck shortly before the Chinese Communist victory in October 1949, it represents the very last of the Provincial Issues and is highly desirable as such.
Collectors of Chinese medals, badges, orders and decorations are in for a treat, as a total of 25 different lots will cross the block with a wide variety of types. Without question, the highlight will be lot 60258, a Sinkiang (Hetian) Qing Dynasty Jade Feather Pipe, made for suspension from a ceremonial hat. The white jade piece weighs 29.47 grams, and is nearly as made.
Lot viewing will be available at the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio Santa Ana office before the sale, as well as in Hong Kong immediately prior to the sale itself. Check the website of Stack’s Bowers for specific dates and times.