Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
April 2024 Hong Kong Auction 15-18 Apr 2024
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(t) CHINA. Silver Dollar ("Sun") Pattern, Year 21 (1932). Philadelphia Mint (or Shanghai Mint struck with Philadelphia Mint dies). NGC MS-62.
L&M-104; K-628 corr. (reverse legend reading 壹圓, in error); KM-Pn133; WS-0140. Reeded edge. Part of a series of denominations meant to put China upon the gold standard, this pattern "Sun," or Dollar, weighed less than the contemporaneous "birds over junk" Dollar by over 25%, and featured some modifications within the reverse design. Most notably, the geese that are famously above the junk on the regular Dollar have been moved to an area below the junk, with them gliding just above the tranquil waters. Also, the legend was modified, removing the two characters that flanked the junk, and replacing them with a peripheral upper legend reading "Gold Standard Currency, One Dollar." Nevertheless, the denomination did not meet local approval, as the gold standard was simply a system which never gained traction, just as attempts had failed during the 29th year of Kuang-hsu in 1903. All that remains from this intriguing period and design concept are EXTREMELY RARE patterns, with the present lot standing as the only such example with a reeded edge seen across either NGC or PCGS. Of note, the only other representative from this series which we have offered in the past was an off-metal striking in copper. That example, a PCGS SPECIMEN-63 Red Brown, realized a total of $113,525 in our August 2012 Hong Kong auction (Lot # 50200). For the connoisseur who has built the most advanced of cabinets with respect to patterns and elusive rarities from the vintage Chinese series, the present specimen provides a near-UNIQUE opportunity for an unrivaled icon.
Ex: Champion (1/2011) Lot # 258 @ $276,000.
L&M-104; K-628 corr. (reverse legend reading 壹圓, in error); KM-Pn133; WS-0140. Reeded edge. Part of a series of denominations meant to put China upon the gold standard, this pattern "Sun," or Dollar, weighed less than the contemporaneous "birds over junk" Dollar by over 25%, and featured some modifications within the reverse design. Most notably, the geese that are famously above the junk on the regular Dollar have been moved to an area below the junk, with them gliding just above the tranquil waters. Also, the legend was modified, removing the two characters that flanked the junk, and replacing them with a peripheral upper legend reading "Gold Standard Currency, One Dollar." Nevertheless, the denomination did not meet local approval, as the gold standard was simply a system which never gained traction, just as attempts had failed during the 29th year of Kuang-hsu in 1903. All that remains from this intriguing period and design concept are EXTREMELY RARE patterns, with the present lot standing as the only such example with a reeded edge seen across either NGC or PCGS. Of note, the only other representative from this series which we have offered in the past was an off-metal striking in copper. That example, a PCGS SPECIMEN-63 Red Brown, realized a total of $113,525 in our August 2012 Hong Kong auction (Lot # 50200). For the connoisseur who has built the most advanced of cabinets with respect to patterns and elusive rarities from the vintage Chinese series, the present specimen provides a near-UNIQUE opportunity for an unrivaled icon.
Ex: Champion (1/2011) Lot # 258 @ $276,000.
Ex: Chang Collection.
Estimate: $400000 - $600000