Kwangtung 1888 (1890) 1 dollar Y-198
Kwangtung Province (now Guangdong) is on the south coast of China, and surrounds Hong Kong and Macau. The mint in the city of Guangzhou (Canton) opened in 1888 and issued a large number of coins until closure in 1931.
The specimen shown was lot 60426 in Ponterio sale 162 (Hong Kong, August 2011), where it sold for $44,000. The catalog description[1] noted,
“CHINA. Kwangtung. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), 1888 (1890). EXTREMELY RARE "Seven Three Reversed Pattern" Dragon - L&M-123; K-16; Y-198. Authorization to establish the Kwangtung Mint was granted in 1887, implemented by Viceroy Chang Chi-tung. In order to modernize the mint, minting machinery, dies, hubs, and other equipment were ordered from the Heaton Mint at Birmingham. Upon their arrival in 1888, Kwangtung became the first mint in China to use modern minting machinery and was at this time the largest mint in the world. Patterns for the first coins were designed by Allan Wyon in the denominations of 1 Dollar, 50 Cents, 20 Cents, and 10 Cents. The first Heaton patterns were later delivered to the Chinese ambassador in London. For some reason, the initial order did not include the 5 Cents which were struck later at the Kwangtung Mint.
The series is referred to by numismatists as the "Seven Three Reversed Pattern". The term "Seven Three" directly relates to the silver content. The term "Reversed Pattern" refers to the English and Chinese legends which are reversed from what later became standard. Initially Kwangtung introduced the first coinage with a higher silver value with the intention of replacing foreign coins circulating within China. The standard of 7 Mace 2 Candareens was raised to 7 Mace 3 Candareens in order to gain public acceptance and replace the Mexican 8 Reales. Soon after its release, they were being melted down to retrieve the excess silver content. This coin is historically significant as it is the first modern machine struck silver coins of China. Represented here is the first use of what became the "standard design" for provincial mints bearing the effigy of a facing dragon. This type became the standard pattern, not only for the Kwangtung Mint but for all mints in China that adopted the dragon design. VERY RARE. Light evidence of old cleaning. 廣東錢局在1887年獲准成立，這是兩廣總督張之洞奏請試辦的。為使新廠能以現代化的方法造幣，所有造幣機器、原模及各種設備全部向位於英國伯明翰的喜敦造幣廠訂購。設備在1888年運到後，廣東錢局成為中國第一座以現代造幣機器製作錢幣的造幣廠，也是當時世界規模最大的造幣廠。第一套樣幣包括一元、五角、二角及一角，由艾倫偉恩雕刻。這一套喜敦製作的樣幣送交中國駐倫敦大使館。由於某種原因，這初次的訂單中沒有後來在廣東錢局生產的五分銀幣。 此系列在錢幣界稱為“七三反版”。“七三”這個詞與含銀量有直接的關連，“反版”是因為它中
NGC XF Details--Surface Hairlines. Wa She Wong Collection.”
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.40g, 0.900 fine silver, 0.7929 oz ASW.
Catalog reference: L&M-123; K-16; Y-198.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Kann, Eduard. Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Coins, Vol. 1 of 3. Bronx, NY: Ishi Press International, 2006.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 162: The August 2011 Hong Kong Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2011.
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