Hong Kong 1864 mil
This specimen was lot 1100 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 38 (Winter Park, FL, November 2025), where it sold for $24,000. The catalog description[1] noted,
"HONG KONG (British Colony), struck in London, bronze 1 mil, 1864, very rare, PCGS MS63 BN. A very rare date of this small, center-holed bronze issue, with only a few major auction appearances in the last decade. Struck at the London Mint during the early years of Hong Kong’s coinage, this type saw very limited production, its modest mintage swiftly supplanted by later issues. As a result, few 1864-dated survivors exist today.
This specimen, never before offered at auction, shows reddish-tan mint luster on chocolate-brown surfaces, with choice details and great eye appeal. It is tied with only three others for finest with the Brown designation at PCGS (with one other at same top grade at NGC). An important opportunity for advanced collectors of the Hong Kong series, this date missing from most specialized cabinets, seldom encountered and highly desirable in Mint State."
This denomination was struck at the shortlived Hong Kong mint 1863-66 but was dropped thereafter. The 1863 is the only common date. British coinage for Hong Kong ceased in 1997 when the island was returned to China.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.98 g, bronze, 15 mm diameter, plain edge.
Catalog reference: Prid-194; Mars-C1; KM-1.
- Illustrated Catalog of Hong Kong Currency, Hong Kong: Mars Numismatic Co., 2012.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Auction 38, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Jorge Ugaz Collection of Lima Silver Cob 2 Reales and the Darby Collection of Guatemala Silver Cobs, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.
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