Our October 2024 Hong Kong Rarities Night kicks off a number of stunning sessions of treasures from China and around the region. It features exceptional pieces, including a North Shensi Soviet Dollar, graded NGC VF-30. An incredible specimen of immense rarity, this example emanates from the final Soviet issues around the time of Mao’s Long March into North Shensi in 1934-35. No sooner did the Red Army reach refuge in the north than the Kuomintang sought to nationalize the former’s silver. As such, the former switched to paper and retained silver for its reserves. Differing from many of the other Soviet issues, which represented the western date through characters, this type instead dates to an era year. However, the era is that of the Chinese Soviet Republic (year 5) and not the Chinese Republic.
Some striking weakness, a very common aspect to these utilitarianly produced issues, is evident, along with a degree of expediency with respect to character formation and a lack of artistry, but the overall state of preservation is rather astonishing, with a minimum of scattered bruises and subtle abrasions, and charming gunmetal gray tone that intensifies around the characters and devices. The first example of the type that we have had the privilege of offering, and no doubt one of the finest of the type that one could ever hope to encounter. An iconic, keystone piece for any advanced collection of the Chinese Soviet series, or the vintage Chinese series more broadly.
To view our upcoming auction schedule and future offerings, please visit StacksBowers.com where you may register and participate in this and other forthcoming sales.
We are always seeking coins, medals, and paper money for our future auctions, and are currently accepting consignments for our January 2025 NYINC and spring 2025 Hong Kong auctions. Additionally, we are accepting consignments for our Collectors Choice Online (CCO) auctions, the next of which will be in November, and the next for which we are currently accepting consignments will be in February. If you would like to learn more about consigning, whether a singular item or an entire collection, please contact one of our consignment directors today and we will assist you in achieving the best possible return on your material.
