World Silver and Bronze Coins cont...

Lot 2494    SESSION 9 (11.30am Thursday)    World Silver and Bronze Coins cont...

Estimate $350,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

HONG KONG, Queen Victoria (1837-1901), the Unique 1868 Proof Set comprising the following; Silver dollar, 1868, obv. crowned head left, VICTORIA above and QUEEN below in Chinese scroll pattern border, rev. Chinese labyrinth encircled by four compartments containing Chinese characters hsiang chiang 1 yuan, and HONG KONG ONE DOLLAR 1868, all within Chinese scroll pattern border, edge milled, (26.81 grams), (KM.10; Pr.-). A few very light marks, otherwise extremely fine, and extremely rare. Silver half dollar, 1868, obv. similar to the Dollar, reverse legend reads hsiang chiang pan yuan, HONG KONG HALF DOLLAR 1868, edge milled, (13.46 grams), (KM.8; Pr.-, note p.281). Hairlines, extremely fine, extremely rare, only the second example to have been offered at auction. Silver twenty cents, 1868, obv. crowned head left, similar to the dollar and half dollar but without the decorated border, rev. four Chinese characters hsian chiang erh hao within beaded circle, HONG KONG TWENTY CENTS 1868 around, edge milled, (5.36 grams), (KM.7; Pr.19A). Has been cleaned, lightly toned, extremely fine, very rare. Silver ten cents, 1868, obv. crowned 'Gothic' bust left, VICTORIA QUEEN around, rev. four Chinese characters hsiang chiang 1 hao within beaded circle, HONG KONG TEN CENTS 1868 around, edge milled, (2.68 grams), (KM.6.3; Pr.-), cleaned, lightly toned, extremely fine, very rare. Silver five cents, 1868, obv. crowned head left similar to the twenty cents, rev. four Chinese characters hsiang chiang wu hsien within beaded circle, HONG KONG FIVE CENTS 1868 around, edge milled, (1.38 grams), (KM.-; Pr.-), Extremely fine, light patchy and spotty toning, extremely rare. The coins come with a contemporary shaped fitted case (5)

Ex Spink Auction, London No.7023, 27 September 2007 (lot 236). This unique set of Hong Kong silver coins of 1868 has only recently come to light and was sold at the above noted sale. Until then no such set had been recorded, and indeed there was not even a suspicion that such a set existed. The proof dollar is not listed in Pridmore and there was no example in the Goodman collection, sold at auction by Superior Stamp and Coin, 28-29 May 1995. The half dollar is not listed at all by Pridmore for 1868. He notes 'Several reports claim that a half dollar dated 1868 exists, but such a coin has not been traced.' There is one proof Half-Dollar in a private collection in the U.S.A. This coin was formerly in the Irving Goodman collection, lot 836. and sold for US$109,250. A footnote in the Goodman catalogue states 'possibly one other example exists in a museum'. Pridmore lists a proof twenty cents for 1868, but there was no proof example of this date in the Goodman collection. Pridmore does not list a proof for either the ten cents 1868 or the five cents 1868, and there were no proof examples of either coin in the Goodman collection. The Hong Kong Mint, located on Sugar Street in Causeway Bay, was opened in 1866. The local merchants however were reluctant to accept the new Hong Kong Dollars, prefering the more familiar Mexican 8-Reales, and the mint operated at a loss. After less than three years in operation the mint closed in 1868. The machinery was sold to Jardine Matheson who in turn sold it to the Japanese Government for their new mint at Osaka. The Hong Kong dollar was discontinued, and small silver coins for Hong Kong were subsequently struck in London and Birmingham.