SANTA ANA, CA. (November 11, 2015) — Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is pleased to 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.
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.
The fireworks continue as the very first lot in our 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.
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.
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.
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.
The sale will then shift to Space Memorabilia. Comprising four lots from The Fook Wing Tong Chinese Space Collection, the items offered are highly desirable space-flown collectibles that were aboard the Shenzhou 1, which was launched in 1999. As the first Chinese launched space shot, the items bear a direct link to China’s initial pursuit of the final frontier, and include stamps, coinage, and other memorabilia, with each item certified by the Chinese government for provenance and authenticity. Returning to numismatics, the first day of the sale will conclude with Modern Chinese Issues, with the usual strong offering of coins from the Panda, Unicorn, Lunar and Inventions and Discovery Series, as well as other assorted modern Chinese coins and coin show medals.
The December Hong Kong Sale will resume at 10:00 AM Hong Kong time on Wednesday, December 9, beginning with rare Foreign Coin Issues from The Collection of a Distinguished European Scholar. The coins in the collection were acquired over a 40-year period, and in many instances were later used as the basis for creating the Lecompte and Gadoury catalogs. Highlights are so extensive that a visit to StacksBowers.com is the best way to appreciate the depth and numismatic significance of this portion of the sale. Patterns, specimens, essais, and one of a kind coinage dominate the offering, including rare Cambodian issues in gold from 1860, as well as great rarities from French Cochin China and French Indo-China. Other great rarities within the Foreign Coins Session include a Hong Kong 1868 Dollar and Half-Dollar in Proof-62 and Proof-61 respectively, both graded by NGC.
The sale continues with Paper Money, starting with lot 70001, an incredible Yuan Dynasty Two Kuan printed on mulberry paper from the time of Kublai Khan. This great rarity will be immediately followed by notes from the Ming Dynasty, and the session continues with a cornucopia of different type banknotes all the way up to the year 2000, a total of 170 different lots. Paper Money offerings will continue on December 15 in the Internet Only sessions, which will also include many highly collectible coins and medals as well.
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 StacksBowers.com for specific dates and times. When you are ready to sell, Stack’s Bowers Galleries offers professional handling of your collection, with a proven track record of accomplished sales. Currently, consignments are being accepting for the April Hong Kong sale as well as the 2016 ANA Auction to be held in Anaheim, California. Call 949-253-0916 or email info@StacksBowers.com
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 80-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, The Guia Collection, The Thos. H. Law Collection, and The Robert O. Ebert Collection.
Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar graded Specimen-66 (PCGS) that realized over $10 million, part of their sale of the famed Cardinal Collection. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association events, the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Professional Numismatists Guild New York Invitational, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April, August and December Hong Kong Auctions.
