​Santa Ana, CA (January 7, 2020) – Numismatic auction powerhouse Stack’s Bowers Galleries is presenting for sale a beautifully-minted and ultra-rare 1911 Chinese Silver Long-Whisker Dragon Dollar at the New York International Numismatic Convention on January 17, 2020.
This important rarity will be presented in lot 20246 of Stack’s Bowers’ World and Ancient Coin Auction, in Session One of the two-day event to be held at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. This 1911 Chinese dollar, created at the Central Chinese Mint in Tientsin, features an extremely rare pattern and is the single finest certified of the type at either the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation or Professional Coin Grading Service.
Valued at as much as $500,000, this fantastic rarity is missing from most of the significant collections of Chinese coins, private or institutional, such as the famous Irving Goodman, Dr. Norman Jacobs and Chang foundation collections. This piece exhibits a needle-sharp strike with crisp well-defined devices, blocked off characters and smooth surfaces. Delicate light patina graces the peripherals of the obverse while the reverse displays a light mottled tone.
The head of the Central mint at Tientsin, Mr. Luigi Giorgi, served as head designer and chief-engraver from 1910-20. His many works are of outstanding quality in fine style and are very artistic. Several of his pattern designs were adopted and placed into full production with two of the most widely recognized motifs in Chinese numismatics being the 1911 Dragon in the clouds Imperial Dollar and the 1914 Yuan Shih-kai Dollar. Mr. Giorgi had the privilege of designing and creating the last Chinese Imperial issue which saw use well into the Republic.
"The artistic details of this coin alone make it a stand out piece in any collection," said Brian Kendrella, President of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. "Factor in the rarity as well and you have a collector’s piece that is seldom seen throughout the world. This will make an unparalleled addition to any collection."
For more information, call 800-458-4646, email info@stacksbowers.com, or visit the firm’s website StacksBowers.com.
CHINA. Silver Long-Whisker Dragon Dollar Pattern, Year 3 (1911). Tientsin Mint, by L. Giorgi. NGC SPECIMEN-65.
Ex: Kann Collection & Chang Plate Coin
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 80-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, The Guia Collection, The Thos. H. Law Collection, and The Robert O. Ebert Collection.
Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar graded Specimen-66 (PCGS) that realized over $10 million, part of their sale of the famed Cardinal Collection. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association events, the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April and August Hong Kong Auctions.