Watch List notes:

CH'ING: Guang Xu, 1875-1908, AE cash (2.88g), Tianjin mint, Zhili Province, Hsu-410.2, H-22.1461., likely struck at the Bao Jin mint, About Unc, RR, ex Nicholas Rhodes Collection. Struck on the 7/8 fen weight standard rather than the nominal 1 qian standard as the weight is only 2.88 grams and thus was likely struck after the mint reopened in 1896, but before it shut down in 1900. Like other provincial mints in the late Qing Dynasty, the mint in Zhili was producing 1,000 regulation struck cash coins at the cost of 2,237 cash and thus losing a great deal on the production of these coins. This explains the rarity of most provincial struck square hole cash coins, with the exception of Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Most mints returned to casting cash coins as the costs of using western machinery to produce them was not cost effective. A similar example sold in Stack's Bowers & Ponterio Sale 162 Lot number 60105 for $1800.

Estimate: 380- 450 USD