HERITAGE DECEMBER 2021 HONG KONG SALE

Kyle Johnson is particularly fond of a piece he typically doesn't gravitate towards, the Qing 1000 Cash "Mother" coin of Wen Zong. While the design leaves little to the imagination and is consistent with the tradition of the nearly 2,500 year old series, this particular piece stands atop the rest for him. The characters, as one would expect from a "Mother" coin, are especially deep and well-articulated, a feature necessary to produce the sand molds for the circulation issues. This, coupled with the sheer size of the piece as the largest denomination of Wen Zong's reign, allows for a special appreciation by Johnson, who is excited to see where the gavel may fall on this particular lot.

To read the complete lot description, see:
China: Qing Dynasty. Wen Zong (Xian Feng) Pattern (Mother Coin) 1000 Cash ND (March-August 1854) AU, ... (https://coins.ha.com/itm/china/china-qing-dynasty-wen-zong-xian-feng-pattern-mother-coin-1000-cash-nd-march-august-1854-au-/a/3095-34005.s)

Having worked with Heritage's HKINF Auctions for years, Christian Winge has seen countless Yuan Shih-kai Dollars. Along with the Dollars of Sun Yat-sen, they may well be considered the "staples'' of these auctions. In fact, a typical sale includes dozens of examples of both. That said, it is incredibly rare to locate one that is as spectacular as the Year 9 (1920) dollar in MS67+ . Seeing the coin in hand, one's eyes almost have to adjust to the fact that it is an original example, as the level of quality displayed seems nearly impossible for the type. Rather than exhibiting typical signs of handling, including contact marks, hairlines, and the usual, this gem exudes pure silky luster and nothing else! From time to time, somebody on our staff will say something along the lines of "You just don't see them this nice," and if ever that were true, it certainly is here. This Year 9 Dollar comes about as close to its as-struck condition as is conceivably possible, and were he to pick a single example for himself of all the ones that he has encountered, it would be this one.

To read the complete lot description, see:
China: Republic Yuan Shih-kai Dollar Year 9 (1920) MS67+ NGC,... (https://coins.ha.com/itm/china/china-republic-yuan-shih-kai-dollar-year-9-1920-ms67-ngc-/a/3095-34073.s)

Zach Beasely notes his favorite ancient in the Hong Kong sale isn't the most expensive or even the rarest, but of a series that has exploded in popularity of recent. The Macedonian tetradrachm of Philip II has everything a collector could want: a massive medallic flan, lovely cabinet toning, excellent eye appeal, and thankfully lacking test cuts which often plague this issue, all lending to the coveted "star" designation. Not only this, but the coin comes from one of the most magnificent collections ever assembled, one that captured the attention of even non-traditional collectors and media coverage: The Prospero Collection.

To read the complete lot description, see:
Ancients: MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Philip II (359-336 BC). AR tetradrachm (27mm, 14.23 gm, 1h). NGC XF? 5/5 - 4/5. (https://coins.ha.com/itm/ancients/greek/ancients-macedonian-kingdom-philip-ii-359-336-bc-ar-tetradrachm-27mm-1423-gm-1h-ngc-xfand-9733-5-5-4-5/a/3095-35004.s)

 

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