Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is thrilled to present the results for another
exciting large sized Modern Chinese gold commemorative coin that was featured
in our August 2017 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. This coin with its iconic Dragon and Phoenix motif realized $114,000. The mythical
creatures are locked in a midair ballet, reminiscent of the Yin Yang symbol. In
fact, the two creatures symbolize the two complementary halves of the Yin and
Yang. The Dragon represents masculinity, power, success and fortune in Chinese
culture. The phoenix represents femininity, immortality, longevity and
prosperity.
The denomination of 1,500 Yuan is found in between the two massive flying
creatures. Technical details of the coin appear in the lower border just below
the Dragon: “.999 Au 20 oz.” denoting the metal content. The reverse
design includes the upper Chinese inscription stating: “People’s Republic of
China,” and below the design the date of issue, 1990. Between the legends is a
breathtaking view of China’s iconic Great Wall, as it winds up a mountainous
peak. Built during the Qin Dynasty in the late third century B.C. and
extensively rebuilt and modified during the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th century
A.D.) the Great Wall served as a bulwark against the northern Mongol tribes and
as a tool to control trade. The Great Wall of China has since become an
international symbol of power and one of China’s greatest achievements. This
rare large format coin comes from a mintage of just 250 pieces (this example is
serial number #071).
We are currently accepting consignments of Chinese and other Asian coins
and currency for our April 2018 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. In addition, we are
taking consignments of world and ancient coins as well as world paper money for
our October 2017 Collectors Choice Online Auction and the January 2018 New York
International Auction. Time is running short, so if you are interested in
consigning your coins and paper currency (whether a whole collection or a
single rarity) be sure to contact one of our consignment directors.
