Howard Franklin Bowker Donation Ceremony in Shanghai

On Monday, March 23, 2015, the Shanghai Mint hosted a donation ceremony of the outstanding Howard Franklin Bowker collection of Chinese coins. This was the second installment of coins donated to the Shanghai Mint (with additional coins also residing at the Shenyang Mint). The ceremony was well attended with many distinguished guests present. At the front of the room inside the Shanghai Mint were two display cases (covered with drapery) that sat directly beneath a large TV screen.

The ceremony began with a short speech by Mr. Gu, the manager of the Shanghai Mint, who graciously thanked the Bowkers for their generosity and support of Chinese numismatics and culture. He was followed by Howard’s granddaughter, Marilyn, who spoke of her grandfather’s passion for coin collecting and how proud he would have been to see his coins on exhibit.

Next up was Michael Chou, who thanked the Bowker family for their trust to work on the Howard Franklin Bowker project for the past eight years and spoke of the significance of the collection to Chinese numismatics as well as Mr. Gu’s commitment to the project.

I was up last and spoke of the great honor of having NGC-certified coins on display at the Shanghai and Shenyang Mints. Our collaboration involved expert conservation by Numismatic Conservation Services (NCS) and grading and attribution by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), which allowed these priceless coins to be properly preserved and protected for future generations. I also thanked Mr. Gu for his passion and interest in preserving Chinese numismatics and said how honored NGC and NCS were for being able to assist and take part in such an important numismatic project.

Following the speeches, the Bowkers were asked to come forward and, with the assistance of mint officials, reveal what was in the two display cases in the front of the room. The coins were received with great applause and enthusiasm and all where then asked to come forward to view the coins.

Revealing the Display Cases

Display Cases With Coins

Following the unveiling, everyone was brought to the Howard Franklin Bowker Donation Hall. This new area, inside the Mint, houses the remainder of the Chinese collection, which is elaborately displayed in date order. It contains many Chinese rarities as well as unique Patterns.

Howard Franklin Bowker Donation Hall

As a sign of gratitude, the Shanghai Mint awarded NGC and NCS a certificate of appreciation. It was a great honor to receive this and we look forward to working with the Shanghai Mint again in the future.

Certificate of Appreciation Presentation

Certificate of Appreciation

It was a thrilling day for the attendees and a great day for Chinese numismatics.