Chinese Vintage Coin Highlights from the Macau Champion Auction

Champion’s Winter Auction started on December 6, 2015. Eager buyers entered their bids from the floor, by mail, phone and online. Many famous collectors and collectors’ representatives were present, including C.S. Wong, David Chau, C.M. Chang, Allan Chan, Wang Yang, Richard Guo, Charlie Chang, Newton Ng and Allen Chen as well as overseas bidders bidding via LiveAuctioneers. The auction resulted in many strong prices.

This auction was pleased to offer Part IX of the Chinese Family Collection, which featured Chinese 50 Cents coinage, including almost the complete set of all 50 Cent Chinese struck coins ever issued. The sale of this highly anticipated Collection resulted in high prices (in USD):

• Lot 078, China-Chihli 1897 50 Cents slanted eye dragon type graded NGC UNC Details realized $10,925 to a Chinese floor buyer
• Lot 087, China-Fengtien 1899 50 Cents graded NGC XF 45 with the date year 25th in Manchu written in error as the 24th year, sold for $8,260 to an American online buyer
• Lot 098, a Hong Kong, China 1866 Dollar graded NGC MS 62 sold for a very strong $11,500 to an American floor buyer
• Lot 119, a China-Kiangnan 1900 50 Cents graded NGC VF 35 was won by a Chinese floor buyer at the final price of $69,000
• Lot 128, a China-Kwangtung ND (1889) 50 Cents Silver Pattern, 7.3 Candareens Reversed Pattern graded NGC SP 67, sold for a hammer price of $166,750
• Lot 131, a China-Kwangtung ND (1889) 5 Cents Silver Pattern, 7.2 Candareens Reversed Pattern graded NGC AU 55, sold for $25,300 to a Chinese floor buyer
• Lot 140, a China-Manchurian 1907 50 Cents Silver graded NGC AU 58, was won by a Chinese phone buyer at the price of $6,900
• Lot 152, a China-Shensi ND (1898) 20 Cents Silver Pattern graded NGC SP 67 was sold to a floor buyer from Taipei for the price of $120,750
• Lot 198, a China-Republic 1935 Sun Yat-Sen 50 Cents Copper Pattern graded NGC MS 63 BN realized $50,600 by an American floor buyer

Lot 128, China-Kwangtung ND (1889) 50 Cents Silver Pattern, NGC SP 67 Click images to enlarge.

Apart from the Chinese Family Collection, another highlight of Chinese vintage coins was Lot 185. Graded AU 58 by NGC, it is the finest known China-Republic 1912 Yuan Shi Kai Large Beard Dollar Silver Pattern. This coin attracted a lot of attention before the auction. After competitive bidding, it finally realized an astonishing $345,000 by an American floor buyer and was the highest price for any Chinese vintage coin in this year at auction. Two buyers, one from Taiwan, Province of China and the other from Hong Kong, China missed the bidding opportunity due to their failure to keep track of the time. In addition:

• Lot 186, a China-Republic 1912 Li Yuan Hung Dollar (without hat), the scarcer error variety with “T I I E” instead of “T H E” graded NGC MS 63, sold for $8,625 to a Chinese phone buyer
• Lot 187, a China-Republic 1914 Yuan Shi Kai 50 Cents graded NGC MS 63, was won by an American online buyer at the price of $5,664
• Lot 208, a China-Szechuan ND Empress Tzu Hsi 50 Cents Silver Fantasy graded NGC MS 64 was sold to a Chinese floor buyer at the price of $5,060

Lot 185, China-Republic 1912 Yuan Shi Kai Large Beard Dollar, NGC AU 58 Click images to enlarge.

Ancient Chinese coins also drew interested bidders. The first two lots, which were made up of China-Qing Dynasty 1851-1861 Xian Feng Yuan Bao 1000 Cash coins, sold for $1,840 and $1,955 respectively.

• Lot 029, from the J. C. Lee Collection, China-Kiangnan ND (1897) Dollar with reeded edge graded NGC VF details, won by a Chinese phone buyer at the price of $5,750
• Lot 030, a China-Kiangnan ND (1897) Dollar with an ornamental edge graded NGC AU Details, sold for $4,140 to a Chinese floor buyer

Lot 422, China 1992 Y2000 Yuan 1Kg Gold Proof, NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo Click images to enlarge.

Finally with regard to Chinese Modern Coins:

• Lot 422, a China 1992 2000 Yuan 1Kg Gold Proof Completion of Lunar Cycle graded NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo, sold for an astonishing price of $644,000 to a consigned buyer
• Lot 505, a China 2012 Commemorative Panda issued for the Singapore International Coin Fair was graded NGC PF 70 Ultra Cameo and sold for $16,675
• Lot 506, a China 2012 Commemorative Panda minted for the Philadelphia ANA Coin Convention graded NGC PF 70 Ultra Cameo sold for $16,675
• Lot 509, a China 2013 Commemorative Panda for minted for the Berlin World Money Fair graded NGC PF 70 Ultra Cameo, sold for $14,950

The above three Commemorative Panda coins were won by the same floor buyer.

This is a guest article. The thoughts and opinions in the piece are those of their author and are not necessarily the thoughts of the Certified Collectibles Group.