A Record-Breaking Auction!

Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio recently concluded their Spring 2025 Hong Kong Auction, a breathtaking seven-day event featuring over 7,600 lots of coins, medals, and currency. The auction surpassed all expectations, bringing in a staggering $21.8 million, significantly higher than its pre-sale estimate of around $19.5 million. This success not only highlights the auction house's dominance but also indicates a thriving Asian market.

Epic Highlights from Rarities Night!

One of the most thrilling segments, Rarities Night, showcased extraordinary vintage Chinese coins, with many items shattering their estimates. Notably, the auction’s star attraction, a coin featuring Chang Tso-lin—the 'Mukden Tiger'—sold for an eye-popping $1,020,000! Other remarkable sales included the iconic gold Dragon and Peacock 20 Dollars, fetching $396,000, and the Gold K’uping Tael, which soared to $528,000. A gold Pavilion Dollar also made waves at $384,000, while the awe-inspiring 'Seven Three Reversed Pattern' Dollar brought in an astounding $660,000—over quadruple its low estimate! This segment alone totaled an impressive $12,361,020.

World Coins Shine Bright!

Beyond the Rarities Night, several exceptional items also caught the eye of collectors. A massive gold 10 Tael Ingot fetched $66,000, while a rare Hong Kong Pattern Dollar, once owned by Sir Hercules Robinson, realized $102,000. A standout from the Philippines, a 1903-S 50 Centavos, reached $55,200, and a rare emergency issue 48 Stivers from the Netherlands East Indies sold for a respectable $26,400.

World Paper Money Takes Center Stage!

The World Paper Money sessions also thrived, raking in $3,559,461, just shy of breaking their previous record. A colossal rarity, the Yu Chuan Honan Official Bank Tael, sold for $60,000, while a pair of $10,000 Yuan specimens from the People’s Republic of China brought in $55,200. A note from the Russo-Asiatic Bank realized $45,600, and another from the German-Asiatic Bank sold for $43,200.

Exciting Future Auctions Await!

Stack’s Bowers Galleries is now gearing up for future events, accepting consignments for the 2025 Summer Global Showcase and the Fall 2025 Hong Kong Auction. If you have numismatic items you'd like to include in these upcoming auctions, reach out to them at 800-458-464 or email [email protected]. Don't miss your chance to get involved in this vibrant market!