Centuries-old Chinese Note Among PMG-certified Rarities in Spink Sale

A Chinese paper money rarity that is more than six centuries old is the top highlight in Spink's World and Hong Kong Banknotes and Coins auction, being held Oct. 3-5, 2022. The sale (which includes Sessions CSS85A, CSS85B and CSS85C) features more than 1,000 banknotes certified by Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) as well as more than 100 coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®).

The top lot in the auction is a China Ming Dynasty 1368-99 1 Kuan graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated (Auction CSS85A, lot 7043A). These notes dating to early in the Ming Dynasty are typically a highlight in whatever auction they appear. This one, which is among the finer certified by PMG, has an estimate of HKD50,000 to HKD80,000 (about $6,400 to $10,200)

China Ming Dynasty 1368-99 1 Kuan graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated. Click images to enlarge.

Other PMG-certified highlights in the auction include:

• a China, Kirin Yung Heng Provincial Bank 1916-17 2 Tiao graded PMG 58 Choice About Unc NET (Auction CSS85A, lot 7488), with an estimate of HKD20,000 to HKD30,000 (about $2,500 to $3,800)
• a China, Canton Municipal Bank 1933 10 Dollars graded PMG 25 Very Fine (Auction CSS85A, lot 7545), with an estimate of HKD20,000 to HKD30,000 (about $2,500 to $3,800)
• a China, Ta-Ching Government Bank 1906 1 Dollar graded PMG 30 Very Fine (Auction CSS85A, lot 7044B), with an estimate of HKD15,000 to HKD20,000 (about $1,900 to $2,500)
• a China, Provinicial Bank of Kwangsi 1928 25 Dollars graded PMG 20 Very Fine (Auction CSS85A, lot 7548), with an estimate of HKD10,000 to HKD25,000 (about $1,300 to $3,200)
• a Hong Kong, Mercantile Bank of India, Ltd. 1941 5 Dollars graded PMG 30 Very Fine (Auction CSS85C, lot 10665), with an estimate of HKD28,000 to HKD45,000 (about $3,600 to $5,700)
• a Hong Kong, Chartered Bank ND 1975 5 Dollars with a Solid-5 Serial Number graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Auction CSS85C, lot 10726), with an estimate of HKD25,000 to HKD35,000 (about $3,200 to $4,500)
• a Hong Kong, Chartered Bank ND 1975 5 Dollars with Ascending Ladder Serial Number graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (Auction CSS85C, lot 10729), with an estimate of HKD20,000 to HKD30,000 (about $2,500 to $3,800)
• a Hong Kong, Chartered Bank 1979 50 Dollars graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated EPQ (Auction CSS85C, lot 10776), with an estimate of HKD14,000 to HKD20,000 (about $1,800 to $2,500)

NGC-certified coins in the auction include:

• a China (1901-08) Szechuan 50 Cents graded NGC F 12 and pedigreed to the J.C. Lee Collection (Auction CSS85B, lot 9229A), with an estimate of HKD8,000 to HKD16,000 (about $1,000 to $2,000)
• a China (1919) Silver Dollar graded NGC AU Details (Auction CSS85B, lot 9333), with an estimate of HKD3,000 to HKD6,000 (about $400 to $800)
• a China (1920) Silver Dollar graded NGC AU Details (Auction CSS85B, lot 9343), with an estimate of HKD1,500 to HKD4,000 (about $200 to $500)

All estimates are provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.