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Stack’s Bowers Completes Trend-Setting Hong Kong Auction

Stack’s Bowers & Ponterio

April 2023 Hong Kong Auction

Coins

17-25 April 2023

HK-Hong Kong

Auction house Stack’s Bowers & Ponterio continued their tradition of market-defining Hong Kong sales in April 2023 with yet another triumphant spring auction. Always a bellwether for the strength of the coin market in Asia, this sale certainly produced impressive results as the firm presented nearly 6,000 coin and medal lots, with a sell through rate of 95.6% and a total realization of $22.55 million (including the buyer’s premium). The total realization for the entire event, including four sessions of paper money was just shy of $25 million, marking Stack’s Bowers & Ponterio’s fifth consecutive Hong Kong sale with a total prices realized above $20 million. This monumental benchmark proves that when Chinese and related coinage crosses the auction block, it is Stack’s Bowers & Ponterio that attracts notable results.

Lot 40162: China. Silver “Reversed Dragon” Dollar Pattern, Year 3 (1911). Tientsin Mint. Hsuan-t’ung (Xuantong [Puyi]). PCGS SPECIMEN-65. Estimate: $750,000-$1,250,000. Sold: $1,380,000.

Lot 40162: China. Silver “Reversed Dragon” Dollar Pattern, Year 3 (1911). Tientsin Mint. Hsuan-t’ung (Xuantong [Puyi]). PCGS SPECIMEN-65. Estimate: $750,000-$1,250,000. Sold: $1,380,000.

Rarities Night offered the majority of superb prices, with the fabled “Revered Dragon” Dollar Pattern bringing $1,380,000, a Gold 20 Dollars Pattern from Shantung totaling $504,000, and two other Shantung Gold Patterns, a 10 Dollars and a 20 Dollars, realizing $432,000 and $336,000, respectively. Stunning results were not limited to Rarities Night, however, with another top result coming from the seemingly unique Paris Exposition “Flan Bruni” Four-Piece Proof Set, which sold for $504,000. Meanwhile, Russian rarities from the Sigma Collection, with a particular strong concentration of Pattern Ruble Novodels of Alexander I, performed exceedingly well. Annamese coinage from the Nguyen Dynasty Collection, as well as rare offerings from Korea, were also exceptional standouts.

Lot 30001: China-Empire. Yuan Dynasty. 2 Kuan, 1264-1341. P-Unlisted. S/M#C167-1. PMG Choice Fine 15 Net. Restoration, Stained. Estimate: $25,000-$30,000. Sold: $43,200.

Lot 30001: China-Empire. Yuan Dynasty. 2 Kuan, 1264-1341. P-Unlisted. S/M#C167-1. PMG Choice Fine 15 Net. Restoration, Stained. Estimate: $25,000-$30,000. Sold: $43,200.

Auction prices for currency were strong, with numerous lots outpacing their presale estimates. Highlights of the sale included lot 30001, a 2 Kuan issued during the Yuan Dynasty (1264-1341) graded PMG Choice Fine 15 Net, Restoration which realized $43,200. Also notable was lot 30330 a 7 Mace, 2 Candareens 1899 P-S2135 Provincial Banknote issued by the Hupeh Government, which was graded Very Fine 30 by PMG and brought $28,800. Continuing a trend of high prices realized for Communist Banknotes, lot 30366, a P-S3377a 1945 100 Yuan issued by the Bank of Central China graded Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ by PMG, realized $28,800. The World Currency Department was elated at the prices realized for their first Hong Kong sale of 2023 and look forward to their Fall Hong Kong event.

Lot 40220: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 18 (1929). Hangchow Mint. PCGS SPECIMEN-63. Estimate: $80,000-$120,000. Sold: $240,000.

Lot 40220: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 18 (1929). Hangchow Mint. PCGS SPECIMEN-63. Estimate: $80,000-$120,000. Sold: $240,000.

Other World Coin Highlights:

  • Lot 40060: China. Kiangnan. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), ND (1897). Nanking Mint. Kuang-hsu (Guangxu). NGC MS-63. Sold for $180,000.
  • Lot 40102: China. Kweichow. Auto Dollar (7 Mace 2 Candareens), Year 17 (1928). NGC AU-55. Sold for $168,000.
  • Lot 40105: China. Kweichow. “Bamboo” Dollar, Year 38 (1949). NGC AU Details–Cleaned. Sold for $204,000.
  • Lot 40163: China. Dollar, Year 3 (1911). Tientsin Mint. Hsuan-t’ung (Xuantong [Puyi]). NGC MS-67. Sold for $204,000.
  • Lot 40190: China. Dollar, ND (1914). Tientsin Mint. PCGS MS-66. Sold for $168,000.
  • Lot 40192: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, ND (1914). Tientsin Mint. PCGS SPECIMEN-63. Sold for $240,000.
  • Lot 40204: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 12 (1923). Tientsin Mint. PCGS MS-64. Sold for $216,000.
  • Lot 40205: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 12 (1923). Tientsin Mint. PCGS MS-63+. Sold for $180,000.
  • Lot 40220: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 18 (1929). Hangchow Mint. PCGS SPECIMEN-63. Sold for $240,000.
  • Lot 40221: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 18 (1929). Hangchow Mint. PCGS SPECIMEN-64. Sold for $240,000.
  • Lot 40222: China. Silver Dollar Pattern, Year 18 (1929). Hangchow Mint. PCGS SPECIMEN-64. Sold for $168,000.
  • Lot 40230: China. Szechuan-Shensi Soviet. Dollar, 1934. Szechuan-Shensi Mint. PCGS MS-62. Sold for $204,000.
  • Lot 40253: China. 1500 Yuan (20 Ounces), 1990. Dragon & Phoenix Series. NGC PROOF-69 Ultra Cameo. Sold for $168,000.
Lot 30366: China-Communist Banks. Bank of Central China. 100 Yuan, 1945. P-S3377a. S/M#H180-42. PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Sold: $28,800.

Lot 30366: China-Communist Banks. Bank of Central China. 100 Yuan, 1945. P-S3377a. S/M#H180-42. PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ. Estimate: $2,000-$3,000. Sold: $28,800.

World Paper Money Highlights:

  • Lot 30001: China-Empire. Yuan Dynasty. 2 Kuan, 1264-1341. P-Unlisted. S/M#C167-1. PMG Choice Fine 15 Net. Restoration, Stained. Sold for $43,200.
  • Lot 30330: China-Provincial Banks. Hupeh Government. $1 = 7 Mace 2 Candareens, 1899. P-S2135. S/M#H175-20. PMG Very Fine 30. Sold for $28,800.
  • Lot 30366: China-Communist Banks. Bank of Central China. 100 Yuan, 1945. P-S3377a. S/M#H180-42. PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ. Sold for $28,800.

All results of the auction can be found in the catalog library.

For further information, visit the Stack’s Bowers website.