Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is thrilled to present another exciting large
sized Modern Chinese gold commemorative coin from their August 2017 Hong Kong
Auction. The design features an iconic Dragon and Phoenix motif. The mythical creatures are locked in
a midair ballet, reminiscent of the Yin Yang symbol. In fact, the two creatures
symbolize the two halves of the complementary and unity 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 sneaks in between the two massive
flying creatures. Technical details about 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).
While we are no longer accepting consignments for our August 2017 Hong
Kong Showcase Auction, we are accepting consignments of Chinese and other Asian
coins and currency for our April 2018 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. In addition
to this, we are currently taking consignments of world and ancient coins and
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.
