Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is pleased to announce the results of their August 2018 Hong Kong Showcase Auction of Chinese Coins, Foreign Coins and Paper Money. Once again the semi-annual sale located at the Mira Hotel attracted collectors, dealers and enthusiasts from around the globe. In addition to the excellent auction sessions, the week was capped with great attendance at the fifth Hong Kong Coin Show.
The opening coin offering (Session B) began with the magnificent run of Vintage Chinese Coins, which produced tremendous results, often surpassing the high estimate (all prices shown include the buyer’s premium). Lot 60033, a high grade Anhwei Dollar, realized $40,800, far exceeding the high estimate of $22,000. Lot 60036 – an 1898 Mint State Anhwei Dollar – realized $72,000, exceeding the high estimate by a factor of four. Pedigreed to the Q. David Bowers Collection, Lot 60040 (an Anhwei 10 Cash), brought a monumental $57,600. Lot 60050, an exceptional Dollar produced by Chihli Province in 1897, realized $31,200.
Two examples of the famed Hupeh Tael achieved strong results as Lots 60125 and 60126, earning $48,000 and $18,600 respectively. Lot 60157 – a choice Mint State Kiangnan Hsin Chou Dollar – realized $14,400. Lot 60209, a gorgeous Kwangtung Reverse Pattern ½ Dollar, attained an impressive $56,400. As predicted, the Shanghai Tael (Lot 60220) attracted strong bidders, who took it way past the high estimate of $12,000 finally settling at $49,200. The very rare Yunnan 5 Dollar issue produced in 1925 – which featured a Chin Family Collection provenance – realized $20,400.
Empire General Issues opened with three Brass Charm and Money “Trees” which collectively realized an incredible $78,000 (Lots 60333-60335). Another trio (this time “Ting Wei” Pattern Dollars) also achieved great results: collectively $52,800 across Lots 60337-60339. Similar to earlier lots, Lot 60347 from the Q. David Bowers Collection (a 1908 Pattern Cash) catapulted to astronomical heights, more than doubling the high estimate at $20,400. Immediately following were two 1910 Pattern Dollars in Lots 60348 and 60349 that realized $28,800 and $18,600 respectively. Lots 60351 and 60353 continued the trend of Q. David Bowers Collection lots accruing strong results as each brought substantially over the high estimate. Lot 60352 also brought impressive results at $18,000.
Coinage featuring the iconic personages of the Republic era led to many remarkable results, beginning with Lot 60387 – an exceptional Mint State Li Yuan Hung Dollar which realized $31,200. Another Q. David Bowers Collection piece in Lot 60428 – a very rare “L. Giorgi” Pattern 10 Cash – was bid up to $26,400. The very next lot (60429) brought a substantial result, $38,400 for a Mint State Yuan Shih-kai Gold 20 Dollars. The exciting Austrian design Sun Yat-sen Pattern Junk Dollar (Lot 60462) sold for $19,200. Lot 60477 resulted in a price of $48,000 for a similar piece, though differing in denomination (this being a pattern ½ Dollar). This type saw production in San Francisco in 1936, as the U.S. government forced Republican China to continue striking silver coinage after 1935. A run of four impeccable Tall Hat Dollars in Lots 60478-60481 collectively realized $77,400. Lot 60487, a similar Tall Hat Dollar with the notable addition of the “L. Giorgi” signature, brought an astounding $52,800. Closing the Republic section and Session B was Lot 60497 – a Central Mint 10 Tael Gold Ingot – which brought a strong price of $32,400.
Bidding resumed on Wednesday with Session C, Modern Chinese Coins. An impressive and hefty 2001 gold kilogram from the Panda Series in Lot 61063 realized $66,000. Far and away the highest price realized belonged to Lot 61089, a 1992 Lunar Completion gold 2,000 Yuan kilogram with a mintage of just 20 pieces that realized an astonishing $360,000. Just ten lots later Lot 61099, a superb gem 1995 500 Yuan gold unicorn brought $45,600. A four-piece gold “Bronze Age Archaeological Finds” Set in lot 61116 sold for $16,800, reaffirming the popularity of this series. An appealing 1986 Eight Piece Proof Set brought a remarkable $40,800, far surpassing the high estimate of $15,000.
Session D presented Hong Kong and Foreign Coins. Lot 62009 – a Hong Kong 1875-H 10 Cents in NGC SP-67 – realized $15,600. Cambodia provided the first highlight for the foreign coin portion as Lot 62041, a Piefort Centime in copper produced in 1888, realized $10,800. The massive Thailand 1951 1,000 Bahts offered in Lots 62173 and 62174 collectively realized $49,200.
The Paper Money Session A offered in the Hong Kong Showcase auction achieved some great results. The opening lot, (50001) a 1287 2 Kuan from the Yuan Dynasty in incredible condition realized $33,600. Lot 50288, a scarce Malaysia 1,000 Dollar first issue specimen that has been held privately, realized $7,200. A trio of Solid 8’s U.S. Federal Reserve Notes (Lot 50344) brought $12,000.
The week of bidding at several auctions culminated with the Hong Kong Coin Show hosted by Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio, Spink, Coin In Coin and Shouxi.com. The bustling bourse floor was packed from the opening on Friday morning virtually until the close of the show on Sunday. The response to this show has been very positive and exhibits continuing passion in the Chinese coin market. Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio will bring another auction and coin show to Hong Kong in March 2019.
Currently Stack’s Bowers is accepting consignments of Chinese and other Asian coins and currency for the March 2019 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. Additionally, the firm is accepting consignments of world and ancient coins as well as world paper money for the October 2018 Collectors Choice Online Auction and the January 2019 New York International Auction. Consignment specialists can be reached at 949-253-0916 or via email at info@StacksBowers.com.
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 80-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, The Guia Collection, The Thos. H. Law Collection, and The Robert O. Ebert Collection.
Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar graded Specimen-66 (PCGS) that realized over $10 million, part of their sale of the famed Cardinal Collection. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association events, the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April and August Hong Kong Auctions.
