Watch List notes:

China: Liao-Jin Dynasty (916-1234 CE), openwork charm, two dragons rising in foliage-like clouds towards a fire pearl, 59.3x4.1mm, 62.2g, An absolutely stunning specimen from the openwork genre, showing two dragons rising in foliage-like clouds towards a fire pearl, clouds and claws forming discrete central hole with two hanging loops flanking the fire pearl showing natural signs of wear, with elaborate hand-engraved scales on the outer rim demonstrating superb workmanship, its patina dark brownish showing golden metal underneath typical of dragon openwork charms dating from the Liao as evidenced by No 249 in Chinese Charms: Art, Religion and Folk Belief by Alex Fang (The Commercial Press 2008), its air of high importance similar to that of Da yuan guo bao, believed to have been made as an imperial commemorative coin during the Zhi da reign with two dragons on the reverse, powerful, fierce, and royal, a thick and heavy piece of large size, probably gilded at some stage, thus far unique, extremely rare and important This is the same example that is used in Dr Burger's article on Chinese charms entitled Coins Which are Not Money: Cultural Functions and Symbolism collected in the book Money in Asia (1200-1900): Small Currencies in Social and Political Contexts edited by Jane Kate Leonard and Ulrich Theobald, Brill 2022..

Estimate: 80000 - 100000