Hong Kong 1877-H 20 cents
This specimen was lot 72290 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2019), where it sold for $204. The catalog description[1] noted, ""HONG KONG. 20 Cents, 1877-H. Heaton Mint. Victoria. NGC EF Details--Cleaned. Handsomely toned despite its prior cleaning, this example serves as an excellent representation of the type." 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 1898 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: 60,000. Fairly common despite the small mintage.
Specification: 5.43 g, 0.800 fine silver, .139 troy oz ASW.
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 October 2019 Collector's Choice Sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
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