(SANTA ANA, CA. (March 7, 2016) Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is pleased to announce details of their upcoming Hong Kong Auction of Chinese and Asian coins and currency, to be held April 5 through April 8 at The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is the leading auctioneer of rare coins and banknotes in Southeast Asia, and this auction features some of the most desirable numismatic material available anywhere in the world, including a number of museum quality pieces.
Session A will commence at 10:00 AM Hong Kong time on Tuesday, April 5, beginning with Empire General Issues. Highlights include rare cyclically dated 1907 and 1910 Pattern Dollars from the Tienstin Mint, graded NGC MS-64 and MS-65 respectively. A parade of other highly desirable dollars follows, with multiple undated (1911) Dot After Dollar coins in MS-62, followed by a Year 3 (1911) Dragon In Clouds Dollar preserved in exquisite PCGS MS-65+ condition that is sure to generate much excitement.
The procession moves on to Republic General Issues with a fabulous array of Sun Yat-sen Dollars, many in high grade, and representing a wide range of different varieties, followed by Li Yuan Hung Dollars in nearly every variety in the catalog! Yuan Shih Kai issues follow, and once again offer the wide assortment of varieties that have become a hallmark of the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio Hong Kong auctions. Additionally, prepare to be dazzled by a pair of Small Characters Dragon & Peacock Dollars, both graded mint state by NGC as MS-61 and MS-63. Next in the section are some of the most desirable pattern Dollars in existence, with a run of extremely rare pattern Junk Dollars from assorted world mints including Austria, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States, all dated Year 18 (1929). Closing out the section will be a fabulous assortment of facing portrait dollars featuring Yuan Shih-kai, Hsu Shih Chang, Tuan Chi Jui (including an extremely rare pattern in gold) and Tsao Kun in both civilian and military dress.
Continuing with Provincial Issues, bidders will be greeted with 140 very desirable coins, many in exceptionally high grade. Coinage from Anhwei, Chekiang, Chihli, Fengtien, Fukien, Hunan, Hupeh, Kiangnan, Kiangsu, Kirin, Kwangtung, Kweichow, Manchuria, Sinkiang, Szechuan, Tibet and Yunnan are all represented. The quantity of great rarities makes it difficult to present a concise description. Consider lot 80153, tied for finest graded, a year 9 (1920) Hupeh 20 Cents in PCGS MS-64, or lot 80182 a no date (1885) pattern 5 Mace from Kirin pedigreed to the Goodman Collection. Also from Kirin, is lot 80186, a highly elusive Keng Tze Flower Basket Dollar in NGC MS-64. The rare 1889 Kwangtung reversed legend pattern will be found at lot 80196. These are but a few of the spectacular coins from just this one section!
Collectors of Chinese Fantasies will be amazed at the depth of material offered, including gold. The 22 lots comprise one of the more comprehensive and diverse Fantasy offerings we have ever sold in a single session. Sycee follows and then comes an incredible assortment of medals and decorations. Of particular interest will be lot 80283, a Qing Dynasty Gold Merit Medal issued by Li Hung Chang as Imperial Chancellor of Commerce. Extremely rare, the piece offered is the plate medal in Gongqing Li, the most authoritative work in this area of collecting, and likely represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire this rarity. Other sensational lots include an Order of The Double Dragon, Type I, First Class, Third Grade Badge as well as perhaps the finest known Tientsin Tutung Yamen Gold Medal of 1902, graded MS-64 by PCGS and with virtually flawless enamel. Finishing out the Chinese portion of the live coin auction, will be a number of modern issues, including a robust offering of Unicorn and Lunar Series issues in addition to the usual extensive offering of Panda coinage.
The Showcase Auction portion of the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio sale continues on Wednesday, April 6, at 10:00 AM Hong Kong time with foreign coin offerings. Highlights include rare French Indochina proofs, as well as an outstanding assemblage of Hong Kong coinage, such as lot 81024, an 1868 Hong Kong 20 Cents, one of only two known examples outside of museum collections. Another 20 Cent piece graded NGC MS-65 dated 1880-H will also attract attention as lot 81025. Japan, Korea, Mongolia and Thailand follow, along with the usual assortment of colonial Southeast Asian countries, plus a fabulous offering of ten different Mexican 8 Reales, all in MS-65 and all free of chop marks. Notable highlights include lot 81084, an extremely rare 1920 Straits Settlements 5 Cents in NGC MS-64 struck as a transitional piece with nearly the entire mintage melted down.
Later that same afternoon at 1:00 PM local time, the Paper Money session will kick-off with a formidable collection of Empire and Republic issues. Be sure to consider lot 82011, a Bank of China 1 Dollar 1909 (1912 ND) as Pick-16a, an extreme rarity that is missing from most collections. From the People’s Republic section, lot 82050 is likely the finest extant Peoples Bank of China 1953 series 10 Yuan Pick-870 graded 65-OPQ.
Internet only sessions will start Friday, April 8 at 11:00 AM Hong Kong time (8:00 PM Thursday, April 7 Pacific Time) and offer a number of highly desirable coins, medals and banknotes with very attractive opening bids that are certain to attract intense bidder activity.
Lot viewing will be available at the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio Santa Ana office before the sale, as well as in Hong Kong immediately prior to the sale itself. Check StacksBowers.com for specific dates and times. When you are ready to sell, Stack’s Bowers Galleries offers professional handling of your collection, with a proven track record of accomplished sales. Currently, consignments are being accepting for the August Hong Kong sale as well as the 2016 ANA Auction to be held in Anaheim, California. Call 949-253-0916 or email 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 Professional Numismatists Guild New York Invitational, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April, August and December Hong Kong Auctions.
