Art News

Two Important gold coin rarities highlight the Coins & Medals auction at Bonhams New York

NEW YORK, N.Y.- Bonhams announces the sale of two extremely rare gold coins in its Coins & Medals auction on December 16, 2011. The first rare coin offered is the finest and only second-known example of a Chang Tso-Lin 50 Yuan gold piece (L&M-1031). It has been consigned for sale by the direct descendants of the famous Chinese leader who is portrayed on the coin. The quality of this lot is unparalleled and is arguably the finest known and essentially unique example of its kind. The coin features a facing portrait of Chang Tso-Lin dressed in his military uniform; the reverse has a phoenix and dragon pattern with the inscription ‘16TH YEAR OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA’ and ‘50 YUAN’ (est. $650,000-750,000). Paul Song, Director of the Rare Coins and Banknotes Department at Bonhams, states, “This coin is a truly historic coin, one of the highest rarity that I have ever handled. The coin’s provenance des