Two gold Chinese coins celebrating notable scientific inventions sold for $816,000 each to lead the Heritage HKINF World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature Auction – Hong Kong to $8,398,056 June 19-21. Heritage’s HKINF World Paper Money Signature Auction – Hong Kong reached $2,231,089 June 18-21, boosting the total from the events to $10,629,145.
Sharing top-lot honors were a People’s Republic gold Proof “Compass” 2,000 Yuan (1 Kilo) 1992 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC and a People’s Republic gold Proof “Seismography” 2,000 Yuan (1 Kilo) 1992 PR68 Ultra Cameo NGC from the Scientific Inventions and Discoveries of Ancient China Series, each of which comes from a minute mintage of just 10 pieces.
A People’s Republic gold Proof “Guanyin Bodhisattva” 1,500 Yuan 1993 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC soared past its pre-auction estimates before closing at $432,000. This magnificent Chinese coin also is exceedingly rare, from a mintage of just 30; this event marked its first appearance at auction in at least two decades.
More than a dozen bids poured in for a Republic Tsao Kun gold Dollar ND (1923) MS62 NGC until it ended at $192,000. This Dollar-sized gold issue, requisitioned by Republic of China President Tsao Kun upon the promulgation of the new Constitution by the Peking Senate in 1923, portrays the warlord and politician in military uniform. This was the first time Heritage has brought this Chinese rarity to auction in nearly a decade.
Also crushing pre-auction estimates was a Republic Yuan Shih-kai “Plumed Hat” Dollar ND (1916) MS64+ PCGS that was struck for the inauguration of Yuan Shih-Kai as Emperor Hung-hsein and drew a winning bid of $180,000. His imperial reign was brief, but those issues struck in commemoration of the event remain a target of the most serious collectors, especially examples in such exquisite condition.
One of the Chinese coin rarities from the Sun Yat-sen series, a Republic Sun Yat-sen Specimen Pattern 1/2 Dollar (50 Cents) Year 25 (1936) SP63 PCGS finished at $168,000 in the Heritage Hong Kong auction. Whether these issues were struck at the San Francisco Mint or the Central Mint of Shanghai (Kann purporting the latter) has been the subject of some debate, but what is known is the fact that the specimen offered in this auction carries the second-highest grade at PCGS, with none graded higher at NGC.
A Republic Sun Yat-sen silver Specimen British Pattern “Junk” Dollar Year 18 (1929) SP64 PCGS climbed to $120,000. Struck from British mint-made dies, it is a sought-after and difficult Pattern to locate from the entire Chinese series. This issue is coveted by advanced collectors, especially in this exceptional, near-Gem state of preservation, and is topped by just three other examples.
Complete results can be found at HA.com/3117.
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