Modern Chinese Rarities Slated for Heritage’s Fall Auction
ON SEPT. 13, Heritage Auctions has scheduled a great online auction of 19th and 20th-century Chinese coins. The sale offers many scarce and rare 19th-century types including a few stunning grade rarities like a Kuang-hsü 5 cents Year 23 (1897) in MS-62. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) has only encased 14 pieces at that grade level and PCGS has seen none past MS-61.
Also a dazzler is the Kiau Chau 1909 5 cent copper-nickel coin from the period of German Occupation of the port. Germany ran this essential port from 1899 to 1914. They set up a customs house and collected tariffs on goods moving in and out of China. Though they had a 99-year lease, the Japanese laid siege to the port in August of 1914 as their first military action of World War I. By November the siege had ended and the Japanese retained control until 1922.
Kiau Chau has had a fascinating and lengthy history, but the numismatic output is limited to two German Occupation era types; the 5 and 10 cent copper-nickel strikes of 1909. Each had circulation strikes and a few select proofs. It’s an extremely attractive collecting area because two coins complete a type set.
