Hong Kong 1877-H 10 cents
This specimen was lot 74270 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $6,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "HONG KONG. 10 Cents, 1877-H. Heaton Mint. Victoria. NGC MS-66. A spectacular Gem with razor-sharp design detail and bold colorful iridescence throughout. A coin that deserves a spot in a collection of superior quality." The British set up a mint in Hong Kong in 1866 which struck mils through dollars. It does not seem to have been a success as the mint was closed in 1868. In 1872, Hong Kong began receiving ten cent coins from the Heaton mint and in 1869 from the Royal mint. This type was minted steadily until the queen's death in 1901 and it is common in all grades. This "Gothic" bust of the queen was used on the cent and ten cents and a more conventional bare bust on the five, twenty and fifty cents.
Recorded mintage: 240,000, a better date.
Specification: 2.72 g, 0.800 fine silver, 17.8 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-6.3; Mars-C18.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Illustrated Catalog of Hong Kong Currency, Hong Kong: Mars Numismatic Co., 2012.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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