Three highly valuable vintage Chinese coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) each sold for over $1 million USD in a sale presented by Taisei Coins and The Royal Mint. Seven more NGC-certified Chinese coins realized prices over $250,000 in the sale, which was held April 29, 2022, in Japan.
The top lot, which set a record for any coin sold in a Taisei auction, was a China YR16(1927) Chang Tso Lin Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 62 (lot 269). It realized ¥276,000,000 (about $2.125 million), nearly a record for any Chinese coin. Only two Chinese coins had previously sold for higher, and both of them also show Chang Tso Lin, a warlord who briefly ruled China before being assassinated in 1928.
NGC recently re-established this coin’s pedigree to the Eduard Kann Collection and as the Plate Coin in Kann’s Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Coins.
Another great Chinese rarity also drew enthusiastic bidding. Realizing ¥258,750,000 (about $1.99 million) was a China 1867 Shanghai Tael – With Rays, graded NGC PF 63+ (lot 218). It was struck by the Hong Kong Mint and includes both Chinese and British features (including the United Kingdom royal coat of arms). Chinese government officials rejected the proposed design and nearly all were melted.
The third NGC-certified coin to sell for over $1 million in the sale was a China (1932) Plain Edge Pattern Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 60 (lot 278). It realized ¥184,000,000 (about $1.41 million), nearly 100 times its starting price. Also pedigreed to the Kann Collection, this pattern shows a ship on the reverse known as a junk, with lettering above it that links the coin to Gold Standard experimental coinage that was never issued.
The sale also included a great rarity from England: a (1492) Henry VII Sovereign graded NGC AU 50 (lot 438) that realized ¥115,575,000 (about $890,000).
“When bidders have what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy an extremely rare coin, they want to know that it is genuine, as well as accurately attributed and graded,” said Ben Wengel, NGC Senior Grading Finalizer of World Coins. “Clearly, this auction has once again affirmed the value of NGC’s expert certification services for vintage Chinese coins.”
Other NGC-certified highlights from China in the sale include:
- A China YR29(1903) Tael – Restrike graded NGC MS 63 (lot 219) that realized ¥81,650,000 (about $629,000)
- A China 1914 L&M-859 Silver Dollar graded NGC SP 66 (lot 254) that realized ¥59,800,000 (about $461,000)
- A China 1906 Tael graded NGC MS 61 (lot 221) that realized ¥49,450,000 (about $381,000)
- A China 1906 Tael Restrike graded NGC MS 64 (lot 220) that realized ¥47,150,000 (about $363,000)
- A China 1914 L&M-67 Silver Dollar graded NGC SP 61 (lot 255) that realized ¥46,575,000 (about $359,000)
- A China YR3(1914) L. Giorgi Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 62 (lot 257) that realized ¥40,250,000 (about $310,000)
- A China YR9(1920) Obverse Mint Sport Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 62 (lot 261) that realized ¥36,225,000 (about $279,000)
- A China YR38(1949) Bamboo Dollar graded NGC AU Details (lot 280) that realized ¥28,750,000 (about $221,000)
All prices realized include the buyer’s premium. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.
