Watch List notes:

(t) CHINA. Fengtien. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar) Pattern, ND (1897). PCGS SPECIMEN-62+ Gold Shield.
L&M-467 var.; K-unlisted; KM-unlisted; cf.WS-0579; Wenchao-unlisted; Shanghai Museum-Mr. Shi Jiagan's collection-unlisted; cf. Chang Foundation-54(Aluminum); cf. Sun-I-6-01. An EXTREMELY RARE pattern struck in brass, with the province spelled "TENG-TIEN" rather than "FENG-TIEN". It is skillfully engraved with stunning, razor sharp design detail and a bold strike that has left not the slightest weakness on either side. Soft luster abounds on this carefully stored coin, and it is free of almost any discernible mark or scuff. The only notable defects are some small points of rusty discoloration at the base of the dragon side. Overall, the finest of the two examples that we have seen in this brass composition, and a truly magnificent and important pattern that does not come up for auction often. An instant showpiece for the next collector it enters!

The recent discovery of production material shed new light on the creation of this coinage. The findings included patterns, dies, hubs and a series of punches from the archives of the Otto Beh company, Esslingen, Germany. Before this, the origin of the dies used to produce coinage for the provinces of Anhwei, Chekiang, Fengtien, Heilungkiang and Sungarei was only speculated upon. Otto Beh was a specialist in the production of seals and dies. From neighboring Goppingen, Louis Schuler received an order for coining presses in 1895 and commissioned Otto Beh to manufacture the dies. In 1897 and 1898, Beh supplied Schuler with over 200 dies for Chinese coins. At the time, this was the largest order that the company had ever received. Schuler, which started as a Locksmith's shop in 1839, had grown to become one of the world's leaders in metal forming and in fact supplied the aforementioned mints with coining presses.

Estimate: $40000.00- $70000.00