Kiau Chau 1909 5 cents
This specimen was lot 23922 in Heritage sale 3015 (Long Beach, September 2011), where it sold for $8,625. The catalog description[1] noted, "Kiau Chau. German Colonial 5 Cents 1909, Proof 67 NGC, sparkling mirror surfaces, virtually pristine and highly attractive. Kiau Chau coins are very rare in Proof and this PF67 is certainly among the finest extant." In the 1890's, the German empire of William II began to feel jealous of British dominance of trade with the crumbling empire of China. After a naval bombardment, the Germans persuaded the Chinese government in 1899 to lease an enclave around the city of Tsingtao, which they made into a trading base. The area fell to Japan in the opening months of World War One but was returned to China in 1922. It was occupied by Japan again 1938-45 but is today part of the People's Republic. This issue was accompanied by a copper-nickel ten cents.
Recorded mintage: 610,000.
Specification: copper-nickel.
Catalog reference: KM Y1.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3015, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2011.
Link to:
- Kiau Chau 1909 10 cents
- Coins and currency dated 1909
- return to coins of China, Kiau Chau