Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
August 2019 Hong Kong Auction 19-21 Aug 2019
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CHINA. Silver -- Mint Sport -- Dollar, ND (After 1923). PCGS Genuine--Graffiti, Unc Details Gold Shield.
K-Mint sport L; L&M-Mule 906/918 (under mint sports); WS-unlisted; Wenchao-unlisted; China Numismatic Museum-unlisted; Shanghai Museum-Mr. Shi Jiagan's collection-unlisted. An EXCEEDINGLY RARE mint sport mule struck with a Yuan Shih-kai Tall Hat Dollar (1914/16) obverse combined with a Dragon and Phoenix Pattern Dollar (1923) obverse. A truly fascinating piece missing from nearly all advanced collections of Chinese coins such as Edward Kann, Irving Goodman and Wa She Wong just to name a few. While entirely pleasant in hand, this piece received the details designation due to an old institution number "121" that is lightly scratched just to the left of the Phoenix's tail; it however is barely detectable without the aid of magnification and has long since toned over matching with the rest of the coin. Despite its shortcomings, a highly attractive survivor with flashy surfaces displaying lovely old envelope tone that combines golden, russet, blue and purple hues. The opportunity to acquire such a magnificent oddity from the Chinese series does not present itself often and as such, consideration should be taken very seriously from potential bidders. We do note a mint sport of a similar combination that we sold in our Hong Kong auction of the "Q. David Bowers Collection" Lot # 40307, which hammered for an impressive $20,000. More frequently encountered, that issue mated the obverse die of a Yuan Shih-kai Year 3 20 Cents with a Dragon and Phoenix 20 Cents and was struck in copper. We expect to see serious competition from collectors to see who will own this mint sport trophy.
K-Mint sport L; L&M-Mule 906/918 (under mint sports); WS-unlisted; Wenchao-unlisted; China Numismatic Museum-unlisted; Shanghai Museum-Mr. Shi Jiagan's collection-unlisted. An EXCEEDINGLY RARE mint sport mule struck with a Yuan Shih-kai Tall Hat Dollar (1914/16) obverse combined with a Dragon and Phoenix Pattern Dollar (1923) obverse. A truly fascinating piece missing from nearly all advanced collections of Chinese coins such as Edward Kann, Irving Goodman and Wa She Wong just to name a few. While entirely pleasant in hand, this piece received the details designation due to an old institution number "121" that is lightly scratched just to the left of the Phoenix's tail; it however is barely detectable without the aid of magnification and has long since toned over matching with the rest of the coin. Despite its shortcomings, a highly attractive survivor with flashy surfaces displaying lovely old envelope tone that combines golden, russet, blue and purple hues. The opportunity to acquire such a magnificent oddity from the Chinese series does not present itself often and as such, consideration should be taken very seriously from potential bidders. We do note a mint sport of a similar combination that we sold in our Hong Kong auction of the "Q. David Bowers Collection" Lot # 40307, which hammered for an impressive $20,000. More frequently encountered, that issue mated the obverse die of a Yuan Shih-kai Year 3 20 Cents with a Dragon and Phoenix 20 Cents and was struck in copper. We expect to see serious competition from collectors to see who will own this mint sport trophy.
The only place we were able to locate just a mention of this type is in Edward Kann's masterpiece "Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Coins" on page 446 letter L under mint sports, it was one that he had seen, but did not own. Admittedly, Kann states that most of the mint sports are the product of government minting facilities using official dies such as the present example. Since supervision was often lax and discipline of mint employees was poor, this accounts for the illegal manufacture in the minting establishments using genuine steel dies.
From the Mas Fera Collection.
Estimate: $10000.00- $20000.00