Following six very successful auctions last season, Champion’s first sale for 2009 will be held April 1st at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers 3F Tang I , 20 Nathan Road, one block from the April Hong Kong Coin Show, being held at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile.

The lots in this sale can be viewed in the printed catalog and at Champion’s website: www.cghka.com.Both the catalog and the website listing appear in English and Chinese. Champion is the only auction house in the world to publish a fully bilingual catalog. Bidders may bid by phone or email or through a live auction website. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/18453

Although paper money highlights this Champion sale, there are many rare and interesting coins in the sale. One of the most important coins is the 1884 Kirin Half Tael silver coin (Kann 917; Lin 505), with 1987 ANACS Certificate, in choice uncirculated condition, estimated at $10,000. This coin is from a set of experimental coins which were soon discontinued and melted.

A newly discovered variety of the 1901 Kiangnan Dragon Dollar, which has a dragon with 6 claws instead of 5, appears in the sale, estimated at $8,000. Another recently discovered coin in this sale is a Kwangtung pattern 1 cash, without center hole, probably made in 1890, NGC SP62, estimated at $1,000.

Another key coin in this auction is the 1867 Hong Kong-Shanghai Tael with rays (Kann 912), rated Proof 65 by NGC, expected to bring $70,000 to $100,000. Most of the important coins in this sale have been certified by NGC , including a 1904 Hupeh Tael (Kann 933) NGC MS63, estimate $6,000, and a 1907 Tientsin Mint silver dollar with wave design border (Kann 212), MS63, estimated at $4,000. A seldom seen 1936 silver pattern dollar, with Sun Yat Sen and ancient spade coin design (Kann 635), NGC MS62 is also offered here, NGC MS62, estimated at $6,000.

Among the more unusual items in this sale is a silver, dollar-sized medal, struck in 1930 to commemorate the completion of the Shanghai Mint (Unusual World Coins XM505). Designed by American, Clifford Hewitt, whose initials appear on the obverse, this piece has an experimental lettered edge, is NGC certified MS64, and expected to sell for $5,000 or more. Several Yuan Shih Kai coins are offered, including the Tall Hat Pattern Dollar with L. GIORGI (Kann 642a), MS63, estimate $8,000; and the three-quarter bust dollar (Kann 643; the first produced by Giorgi), MS62, estimate $8,000.

Among gold coins in this auction are the 1912 Sun Yat Sen 20 Cent (Kann 1551), estimate $4,000; the Hung Hsien Flying Dragon $10 (Kann 1515), expected to sell for $9,000 or more; and a Tsao Kun gold medal. A last minute hightlight will be a 1901 British Trade Dollar, proof, struck in gold, and estimated at $70,000.Older coins can also be found in this sale, including a number of Chou (Zhou) dynasty knife and spade coins.

There are three Ch’i (Qi) knife coins, a couple of small, straight knives, a hollow-handle spade, and one of the earliest round coins, this one issued by the city of Yuan in what is now southern Shansi province. Some 20 silver sycee and several lots of beautiful Korean amulets round out the early coins section of the sale.From Annam (Vietnam) there is huge, 64mm, 1 Lang (tael) silver coin of Emperor Tu Duc (1848-1883) (KM 477; Schroeder 348), possibly the largest round silver coin issued in Annam, uncirculated and estimated to sell for $1,500 to $3,000.

Several other Annam silver coins are also offered in this sale. Tibet is represented by a 1909 Srang, one of only two dollar-sized silver coins from Tibet, this one formerly in the Kann and Goodman collections. NGC rated XF45 this coin is estimated at $1,000 to $2,000.

For the paper money collector, this sale offers the Ta Ch’ing Bank, Shensi Branch, 100 Taels note of 1910, an unissued remainder with margin still attached. This note is unlisted in the Pick catalog; In Smith & Matravers, Chinese Banknotes, this would be T10-50 (but higher denomination); PMG certified AU55, estimated at $5,500. This extremely high denomination would have been used in Sian (Xian), capital of Shensi (Shaanxi).

One of the earliest issues of the Commercial Bank of China, after changing its name from Imperial Bank of China, a 1914 $5 (Shanghai) uniface specimen of the face only (Pick A133Bafs), appears in this sale, PMG graded AU55.

The stars of the paper money section, however, are three very rare, high denomination notes of the Russo-Chinese and Russo-Asiatic Bank. First is a Russo-Chinese Bank, Shanghai Branch, 100 Mexican Dollars note, an undated, uniface specimen of the face only, issued about 1909 (Pick S545fs; S & M O5-44). This note is certified Choice Uncirculated 64 by PMG, and expected to bring over $1,000.

The second is a Russo-Asiatic Bank, Harbin Branch, 100 Dollars, overprinted on a 1909 Tientsin 100 Taels note (Pick S466). This extremely rare note, graded PMG Gem Uncirculated 65, is estimated at $8,000.

The third note, and a Major Rarity, is the 500 Dollars note in the same series (Pick S467), overprinted on the Tientsin 500 Taels. Rated PMG AU55, this note is expected to sell for $12,000 to $18,000.

These high denomination overprints, issued in 1910, reflect the growing amount of business conducted by the Russians at Harbin, on the border of the two countries.

Foreign Banks in China account for some of the other highlights in this sale. From the Yokohama Specie Bank, there is a Tientsin Branch, 100 Dollars 1918 (Pick S657), rated PMG Choice Uncirculated 64, estimated at $3,000. The French, Banque Industrielle de Chine, is represented by a Shanghai Branch, 500 Dollars 1914, Specimen (Pick S397Cs; S/M C254-6c), PMG Choice AU58, valued at $4,000. Another high denomination note, this time from the Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China, Hong Kong Branch, a 1927 100 Dollars (Pick 45) is offered. This note is rated PMG EF-40, and is expected to sell in excess of $26,000.

Actual viewing of the lots in this sale will be available in Taipei, Taiwan March 27 and 28, from 10 AM to 5 PM by appointment, and in Hong Kong on March 31 and April 1, from 9 AM to 1 PM, at the Sheraton Hotel where the sale will be held on the afternoon of April 1.

For viewing in Taiwan, contact Fuchin Coins & Stamps at (02) 23121761. The viewing in Hong Kong will be on the 3rd floor of the Sheraton in room Tang II.Bidding in this sale may be done by telephone by prior arrangement or by email at: championghka@gmail.com.

Online bidding is also available through: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/18453The catalogs and prices realized from all previous Champion auctions since 2007, can be viewed at the website: www.cghka.com.

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