Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
March 2019 Hong Kong Auction 25-27 Mar 2019
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CHINA. Chekiang. Brass Cash Pattern, ND (1862-75). PCGS SP-64+ Gold Shield.
KM-unlisted; CCC-777. Struck in brass. EXCEEDINGLY RARE. Potentially only four known. Struck at the Paris mint, this type is the first Chinese style specimen featuring a Cash piece utilizing a round hole. This curious piece raises many questions, and thankfully Richard Wright's "The Modern Coinage of China 1866-1949, The Evidence in Western Archives" provides some detail. On page 168 of Wright's book, he illuminates that this piece is one of but a few instances of Sino-French cooperation in numismatics. Paris mint archives describe this type, as engraved by M. Barre in 1866, struck in brass with a tracing of the design as well. This Paris mint catalog also suggests that there are only three examples known (with this piece possibly the fourth known). Wright continues with an explanation into what occasion prompted the minting and scarcity of this type. One of the earliest instances of Chinese officials visiting Europe, the Chinese Secretary of the Imperial Maritime Customs, Pin Ch'un fulfilled his duty and toured France in 1866. By the time the party reached Paris by way of Marseilles, Pin Ch'un had grown weary of the official tours and left the Paris Mint tour to his subordinates. Seemingly these specimens were created on this occasion and account for their rarity, potentially just a few were produced for these touring officials.
Estimate: $15000.00- $20000.00
KM-unlisted; CCC-777. Struck in brass. EXCEEDINGLY RARE. Potentially only four known. Struck at the Paris mint, this type is the first Chinese style specimen featuring a Cash piece utilizing a round hole. This curious piece raises many questions, and thankfully Richard Wright's "The Modern Coinage of China 1866-1949, The Evidence in Western Archives" provides some detail. On page 168 of Wright's book, he illuminates that this piece is one of but a few instances of Sino-French cooperation in numismatics. Paris mint archives describe this type, as engraved by M. Barre in 1866, struck in brass with a tracing of the design as well. This Paris mint catalog also suggests that there are only three examples known (with this piece possibly the fourth known). Wright continues with an explanation into what occasion prompted the minting and scarcity of this type. One of the earliest instances of Chinese officials visiting Europe, the Chinese Secretary of the Imperial Maritime Customs, Pin Ch'un fulfilled his duty and toured France in 1866. By the time the party reached Paris by way of Marseilles, Pin Ch'un had grown weary of the official tours and left the Paris Mint tour to his subordinates. Seemingly these specimens were created on this occasion and account for their rarity, potentially just a few were produced for these touring officials.
Estimate: $15000.00- $20000.00