Hong Kong 1888 20 cents
This specimen was lot 71023 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, February 2020), where it sold for $144. The catalog description[1] noted, "HONG KONG. 20 Cents, 1888. London Mint. Victoria. PCGS EF-45 Gold Shield. An attractive example with gun metal toning and strong details for the grade." 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 twenty cent coins from the Heaton mint and in 1873 from the Royal mint. This type was minted steadily until the queen's death in 1901 tho it is scarce in nice condition, suggesting hard use. This bare bust appeared on the five, twenty and fifty cents and a "Gothic" bust of the queen was used on the cent and ten cents.
Recorded mintage: 500,000 plus proofs.
Specification: 5.43 g, 0.800 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-7, Mars-C28.
- 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, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The February 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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