Kiangnan. Kuang-hsü Dollar ND (1897) UNC Details (Environmental Damage) PCGS, Nanking mint, KM-Y145.1, L&M-210A, Kann-66d, WS-0786, Wenchao-640 (rarity 2 stars). Herringbone (Ornamental) edge. Variety with 2 strokes in sheng ("province"), and crossbars on A's in KIANGNAN barely visible. With ink chopmark on obverse (reverse as holdered). An absolute visual masterpiece, fully original in every facet of the design without the least evidence of rub and not a stray mark worthy of note. Representing the first coinage of the province and the newly established mint in the capital of Nanking, this specimen appears to have been carefully stored away not long after it was struck, the applied ink chopmark having caused no noticeable disturbance to its host. Although PCGS's certification policy stipulates that chopmarked coins cannot receive straight grades, the piece at hand appears virtually unimprovable, likely very near gem, while the finest certified example in the PCGS census remains an MS64+, the ink chop only adding to its history and unique appeal. For comparison, a similar condition piece also bearing an ink chopmark on the reverse hammered for $72,500 in Steve Album's September 2018 Auction 32 (lot 748).

HID09801242017

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