Yunnan (1919) 10 dollars Y-482
This specimen was lot 53570 in Stack's Bowers Hong Kong auction (Hong Kong, April 2021), where it sold for $18,000. The catalog description[1] noted, "CHINA. Yunnan. 10 Dollars, 1919. PCGS AU-55 Gold Shield. Variety with "1" below reverse tassels. A wholesome and barely circulated example of this RARE type, with some luster remaining in the peripheral areas. Struck for General T'ang Chi-yao while he was military governor of Yunnan from 1912-1927. Issued to commemorate the general's meritorious deeds during the uprising and his efforts to preserve the Republic." Altho the noted mintage seems substantial for a gold coin, these are today very rare. We don't know why authorities at the time thought these would actually circulate. There is a variety (Y-482.1) without the '1' on the reverse.
Recorded mintage: 900,000 but rare.
Specification: 8.5 g, 0.750 fine gold, 23 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: L&M-1057; K-1527; KM-Y482; Fr-10; WS-0652.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th 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.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The April 2021 Hong Kong Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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