China (1914)-O dollar Y-329.4

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Stack's Bowers April 2021 Hong Kong sale, lot 52276
SB421-52276r.jpg

This specimen was lot 52276 in Stack's Bowers Hong Kong auction (Hong Kong, April 2021), where it sold for $3,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "CHINA. Dollar, Year 3 (1914)-O. PCGS MS-63 Gold Shield. Variety with weak 'O' in ribbon and connected (triangle) "yuan." Attractive quality with few marks and blazing luster. While mostly white, a small patch of orange and red tone above Yuan Shih-kai's head is noted for the sake of accuracy." The Manchu dynasty was overthrown in 1911 and a republic established. No accepted process for transfer of power existed and various warlords and cliques jockeyed for power. Finally, general Yuan Shih-kai came out on top. Several commemoratives were issued to celebrate this event, most notably Y-322, but this design with the sideways bust of the general was selected for mass production at all the imperial mints. Yuan Shih-kai managed to get himself crowned emperor before he died in 1916 but this design was used with a frozen date until a new date appeared in 1919. Immense quantities were struck, perhaps hundreds of millions, and the coin finally drove out all the foreign coins which had circulated in China for centuries. Many minor varieties exist, all avidly sought by collectors today. This variety, called the "O type", shows a tiny "o" stamped in the bow of the ribbon on the reverse. Ten cent, twenty cent and fifty cent coins also exist.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 26.4 g, 0.890 fine silver, 39 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: L&M-63c; K-648; KM-Y329.4; WS-0174-6.

Source:

  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • Lin Gwo Ming, Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Gold & Silver Coins: Ching and Republican Issues, Seventh Edition, Hong Kong: Ma Tak Wo Numismatic Co., Ltd., 2012.
  • [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The April 2021 Hong Kong Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.

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