Rare PMG-certified Chinese Banknotes Offered in Spink Sales

Hundreds of rare Chinese banknotes certified by Paper Money Guaranty® (PMG®) are being offered in several Numismatic Collectors' Series sales presented by Spink. They include Chinese Banknotes (CSS78A), Specimens from the Hong Kong Printing Press (CSS78B) and Hong Kong and World Banknotes and Coins (CSS78D). Bidding is already underway, with the sessions concluding June 3-5, 2022.

The top lot in all of the sessions is a China / People’s Republic 1951 5,000 Yuan graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine EPQ (CSS78A, lot 2415), with an estimate of HKD600,000 to HKD1,200,000 (about $76,000 to $153,000). The note is the only one of its catalog number to have earned the EPQ designation, adding to its rarity. These high-denomination notes circulated in remote provinces bordering Mongolia.

China / People’s Republic 1951 5,000 Yuan graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine EPQ Click images to enlarge.

Other PMG-certified highlights in the sale include:

• a Hong Kong, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. 1897 500 Dollars graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (CSS78D, lot 5866) with an estimate of HKD700,000 to HKD1,000,000 (about $89,000 to $127,000)
• a Hong Kong, Oriental Bank Corp. ND (ca. 1850s) 50 Dollars Proof graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (CSS78D, lot 5636) with an estimate of HKD500,000 to HKD800,000 (about $63,700 to $102,000)
• a Hong Kong, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. ND (1867) 5 Dollars graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated (CSS78D, lot 5724) with an estimate of HKD500,000 to HKD750,000 (about $63,700 to $95,500)
• a Hong Kong, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. 1896 100 Dollars graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (CSS78D, lot 5832) with an estimate of HKD500,000 to HKD700,000 (about $63,700 to $89,100)
• a China / People’s Republic 1951 10,000 Yuan Front Specimen and Back Specimen, each graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (CSS78A, lot 2418F), with an estimate of HKD320,000 to HKD450,000 (about $40,800 to $57,300)
• a China / People’s Republic 1953 3 Yuan graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (CSS78A, lot 2432), with an estimate of HKD260,000 to HKD360,000 (about $33,100 to $45,900)
• a China / Empire 1368-99 Ming Dynasty Kuan graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated EPQ (CSS78A, lot 2015), with an estimate of HKD250,000 to HKD500,000 (about $31,900 to $63,700)
• a China / People’s Republic 1948 50 Yuan graded PMG 40 Extremely Fine EPQ (CSS78A, lot 2337), with an estimate of HKD250,000 to HKD350,000 (about $31,900 to $44,600)
• a China / People’s Republic 1949 20 Yuan graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (CSS78A, lot 2369), with an estimate of HKD220,000 to HKD350,000 (about $28,000 to $44,600)
• a China, Hunan Government Bank 1908 100 Coppers graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated NET (CSS78A, lot 2175), with an estimate of HKD180,000 to HKD280,000 (about $22,900 to $35,700)
• a China, Kirin Yung Heng Provincial Bank 1913 10 Tiao graded PMG 15 Choice Fine NET (CSS78A, lot 2161), with an estimate of HKD160,000 to HKD260,000 (about $20,400 to $33,100)
• a Hong Kong, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. 1900-02 10 Dollars graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine (CSS78D, lot 5747) with an estimate of HKD150,000 to HKD300,000 (about $19,100 to $38,200)
• a China ND (ca. 1910s) 1 Dollar - Private Issue Printer's Design graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (CSS78B, lot 3002) with an estimate of HKD30,000 to HKD50,000 (about $3,800 to $6,400)

All estimates provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.