Heritage World Coin Auctions
Hong Kong Signature Sale 3050 8-9 December 2016
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French Indo-China
French Colony silver Cut Cancelled Specimen Trial Piastre 1931 SP50 PCGS, Paris mint, KM-Unl., Lec-306.7 (this coin). Second and final example. The number '1' countermark is positioned on the obverse and touches the top of the bonnet between the legend of the final E of REPUBLIQUE and the F of FRANCAISE. Part of the first series of 13 cut cancelled trial strikes now known to exist. This specimen is 1 of only 3 cut examples to have the number '1' countermark. We sold the other Ex. Taylor specimen in our inaugural 2015 December Hong Kong Auction. For future research, please note that this trial has a faint but unique handwritten 19.820 weight annotation that could place it in the catalog section with the Lec-306.10 and Lec-306.11 references. Of extreme rarity.Ex. R. Taylor Collection----INTRODUCTORY TEXT----SECOND SALE OF AN EXCEPTIONAL SERIES OF NEWLY PUBLISHED DIE AND MACHINE TRIAL STRIKES OF THE 1931 SILVER FRENCH INDOCHINA PIASTRE FROM THE EX. R. TAYLOR COLLECTION.1931 was a transitional year for French Indochina coinage seeing the first design change since the creation of the Liberty seated type 'Piastre de Commerce' (Trade Dollar) in 1885. The engraver Lindauer had the task of creating the new 'Liberty Head' 1931 Silver Piastre. A one year type for which rare patterns, essais and pieforts in silver as well as presentation strikes in Aluminum are known.Unlike the patterns struck to present the finished coin, these previously unknown trials were struck uniquely for the purpose of testing and adjusting the new dies, die pressure, alignment and the mint equipment before coinage. Once tested and inspected, they were canceled by cutting and perforation, then normally destroyed. We are very fortunate to have survivors of this little known stage of the minting process.The 2014, French/English edition of 'Les Monnaies et Jetons de l'Indochine Francaise' (Coins and Tokens of French Indochina) is the first to publish these trial strikes, probably made by the engraver Lindauer himself. Due to their rarity, each of these Lindauer trail strikes have a unique Lecompte catalogue reference number.A total of 23 trail strikes are known to exist of which 3 from the Ex. R. Taylor Collection were sold in our first inaugural 2015 December Hong Kong Auction. Heritage is again pleased to present 2 of these extremely rare and previously unlisted trial strikes of the French Indochina 1931 Piastre.
Estimate: 5000-6000 USD
French Colony silver Cut Cancelled Specimen Trial Piastre 1931 SP50 PCGS, Paris mint, KM-Unl., Lec-306.7 (this coin). Second and final example. The number '1' countermark is positioned on the obverse and touches the top of the bonnet between the legend of the final E of REPUBLIQUE and the F of FRANCAISE. Part of the first series of 13 cut cancelled trial strikes now known to exist. This specimen is 1 of only 3 cut examples to have the number '1' countermark. We sold the other Ex. Taylor specimen in our inaugural 2015 December Hong Kong Auction. For future research, please note that this trial has a faint but unique handwritten 19.820 weight annotation that could place it in the catalog section with the Lec-306.10 and Lec-306.11 references. Of extreme rarity.Ex. R. Taylor Collection----INTRODUCTORY TEXT----SECOND SALE OF AN EXCEPTIONAL SERIES OF NEWLY PUBLISHED DIE AND MACHINE TRIAL STRIKES OF THE 1931 SILVER FRENCH INDOCHINA PIASTRE FROM THE EX. R. TAYLOR COLLECTION.1931 was a transitional year for French Indochina coinage seeing the first design change since the creation of the Liberty seated type 'Piastre de Commerce' (Trade Dollar) in 1885. The engraver Lindauer had the task of creating the new 'Liberty Head' 1931 Silver Piastre. A one year type for which rare patterns, essais and pieforts in silver as well as presentation strikes in Aluminum are known.Unlike the patterns struck to present the finished coin, these previously unknown trials were struck uniquely for the purpose of testing and adjusting the new dies, die pressure, alignment and the mint equipment before coinage. Once tested and inspected, they were canceled by cutting and perforation, then normally destroyed. We are very fortunate to have survivors of this little known stage of the minting process.The 2014, French/English edition of 'Les Monnaies et Jetons de l'Indochine Francaise' (Coins and Tokens of French Indochina) is the first to publish these trial strikes, probably made by the engraver Lindauer himself. Due to their rarity, each of these Lindauer trail strikes have a unique Lecompte catalogue reference number.A total of 23 trail strikes are known to exist of which 3 from the Ex. R. Taylor Collection were sold in our first inaugural 2015 December Hong Kong Auction. Heritage is again pleased to present 2 of these extremely rare and previously unlisted trial strikes of the French Indochina 1931 Piastre.
Estimate: 5000-6000 USD