China (1920) dollar Y-329.6
This specimen was lot 3910 in Goldberg sale 67 (Los Angeles, January 2012), where it sold for $776.25. The catalog description[1] noted, "China. Dollar, 1920. Year 9. Yuan Shih-kai. Frosty white mint luster. NGC graded MS-63." 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 type finally drove out all the foreign coins which had circulated in China for centuries. Many minor varieties exist, all avidly sought by collectors today. Ten cent, twenty cent and fifty cent coins also exist but only the twenty cents was struck in 1919.
Recorded mintage: unknown but common.
Specification: 26.4 g, .890 fine silver, .755 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: L&M-79; Y-329.6.
- 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]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Stephen Harvey, Paul Rynearson and Jason Bradford, Pre-Long Beach Auction, Ancient & World Coins, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, 2011.
Link to: