Heritage Offers Extraordinary Chinese Vintage Rarities Certified by NGC

Some of the greatest vintage rarities in Chinese numismatics are among an impressive array of world coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) being offered in an upcoming Heritage Auctions sale. Bidding is scheduled to start in mid-November for the HKINF World Coins Platinum Session and Signature Auction, which will be held December 9-11, 2023.

Among the top highlights is a China YR3(1911) Long-Whiskered Dragon Silver Dollar graded NGC SP 64+ (lot 34012), which has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. With an elegant design by Luigi Giorgi, these patterns (or proposed designs for coins) are among those most eagerly sought by collectors. They were struck near the end of the Qing Dynasty and were never issued as coinage. This coin has the highest grade of the five in the NGC Census for this particular variety and, according to the auction house, it is the finest example to appear at auction in over two decades.

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Another coin expected to inspire spirited bidding is a China 1926 Shantung Gold 10 Dollars graded NGC MS 65+ (lot 34028), which has an estimate of $200,000 to $400,000. These were struck for Zhang Zongchang, a warlord with extravagant tastes who briefly ruled a coastal province north of Shanghai before being forced into exile. NGC has certified six examples of this rare coin, and this is the sole-finest in the NGC Census.

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Another great rarity featured in the auction is a China YR3(1914) Silver Dollar Pattern graded NGC MS 64 and pedigreed to the Rulin Wei Collection (lot 34055), which has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. Another design by Giorgi, this pattern has a three-quarters facing bust of Yuan Shih-kai, who ruled as president (and, for a few months, as emperor) from 1912 until his death in 1916. This example is tied for highest graded among 16 examples in the NGC Census.

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The auction also includes impressive coins from elsewhere in the world, including a Great Britain 1839 Una and the Lion 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 62 Ultra Cameo (lot 34104). The coin celebrates the young Queen Victoria, who is shown both on the obverse and reverse, where she is depicted as the fictional character Lady Una guiding a lion that represents England. These coins are the pinnacle of British numismatics and this one has a pre-auction estimate of $150,000 to $250,000

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Other NGC-certified highlights in this auction include:

• a China 1927 Chu Yu Poo Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 63 (lot 34068), which has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000
• a China YR12(1923) Silver Dollar - Large Characters graded NGC MS 65 (lot 34065), which has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000
• a China 1907 Gold Tael - Small Clouds graded NGC MS 61 (lot 34009), which has an estimate of $100,000 to $200,000
• a Great Britain 1817 Three Graces Silver Pattern Crown graded NGC PF 63+ (lot 34099), which has an estimate of $80,000 to $100,000
• a China YR12(1923) Silver Dollar - Large Characters graded NGC MS 64 (lot 34066), which has an estimate of $80,000 to $100,000
• a China 1903 Fengtien Silver Dollar - Characters Reversed graded NGC MS 64 (lot 34017), which has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000
• a China 1912 Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 62 (lot 34051), which has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000
• a China 1916 Hung Hsien Silver Dollar graded NGC MS 63 (lot 34059), which has an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000
• a Germany 1640 Bavaria 5 Ducat graded NGC MS 64 (lot 34095), which has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000

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