Country guide
China
China is the world’s largest and most counterfeited coin market — imperial cash coins, Qing dynasty silver dragon dollars, Republic “Fat Man” dollars, and the modern Panda bullion series. This hub maps the full currency history, the series collectors actually chase, and safe-buying rules for a market where fakes are everywhere.
15
Coin entries
Coins of China
Every coin entry in this wiki — one tap to the full page.
Showing 15 of 15
1890–1908 Kwangtung 7 Mace 2 Candareens DollarAI-generated illustration based on cited references; no freely licensed photograph of this type was verified. The…View coin ›
1908 Kuang-hsü Central Mint DollarAI-generated illustration based on cited references; no freely licensed photograph of this type was verified. The…View coin ›1911 Hsüan-t’ung “Short-Whiskered Dragon” Pattern DollarThe $4.88 Million CoinView coin ›
1911 Long-Whiskered Dragon DollarAI-generated illustration based on cited references; no freely licensed photograph of this pattern was verified. A…View coin ›
1912 Sun Yat-sen Memento DollarAI-generated illustration based on cited references; a freely licensed photograph exists on Wikimedia Commons (File:Memento obverse.jpeg,…View coin ›
1914 Yuan Shih-kai DollarPublic domain — Justine Philip, Museums Victoria, via Wikimedia Commons KM-Y329 'Fat Man' dollar · 26.4g…View coin ›
1916 Hung Hsien DollarCC BY-SA 4.0 — Rosser1954, via Wikimedia Commons KM-Y332 'Flying Dragon' dollar · $240,000 for PCGS…View coin ›
1923 Tsao Kun DollarNo freely licensed photo located (2026-09-16) — illustration placeholder AI-generated illustration — not a photograph of…View coin ›
1928 Kweichow Automobile DollarCC BY-SA 4.0 — Anthonythecoinman, via Wikimedia Commons KM-Y428 · 648,000 minted at Guiyang · Heritage…View coin ›
1933 Sun Yat-sen Junk DollarAI-generated illustration based on cited references; a freely licensed photograph of the junk dollar obverse exists…View coin ›
1934 Sun Yat-sen Junk DollarAI-generated illustration based on cited references; a freely licensed photograph of the junk dollar obverse exists…View coin ›
1982 Great Wall 1 YuanAI-generated illustration based on cited references; no freely licensed photograph of this coin was verified. The…View coin ›
Chinese Panda Gold & Silver Coins (1982–Present)The World’s Most Collected Bullion SeriesView coin ›Kwangtung Dragon Dollar (1890–1908)China’s First Machine-Struck Silver DollarView coin ›
Yuan Shih-kai “Fat Man” Silver Dollar (1914–1921)China’s Workhorse DollarView coin ›History & collecting
The story behind the coins, one tap away.
- Machine-struck silver dollars were first made in China in 1889, with the Kwangtung (Canton/Guangzhou) mint’s dragon-dollar type beginning in 1890, denominated 7 mace 2 candareens — the “dragon dollar” type that set the standard for all later provincial issues (per Heritage Auctions and CNG lot descriptions, KM-Y203, L&M-133).
- After the 1912 revolution, the Republic of China standardized on the silver dollar: Yuan Shih-kai “Fat Man” dollars (1914–1921, Tientsin mint, designed by chief engraver Luigi Giorgi) became the workhorse coinage; the earlier 1914 “Plumed Hat” commemorative (KM-Y322, mintage 20,000 per Heritage) honored the founding of the Republic.
- The final imperial issues include the 1911 Hsüan-t’ung pattern dollars engraved by Giorgi at Tientsin — the “short-whiskered dragon” pattern sold for $4.88 million at Heritage’s Hong Kong sale on June 17, 2026, ranking among the most expensive coins ever auctioned (NY Post, citing Heritage).
- The People’s Republic of China issues the renminbi; its flagship collector series is the Gold and Silver Panda, launched 1982 with a new panda design each year (CoinWeek).
- What collectors hunt: Qing dragon dollars (especially Kwangtung), high-grade Fat Man dollars, Sun Yat-sen “Memento”/”Junk” dollars, warlord issues, and early-date Pandas (key dates include the 1995 small-date issues).
- Authentication — counterfeits of Chinese rarities are prevalent. General, verified-safe guidance only: buy graded/slabbed examples from reputable dealers, verify certification numbers directly with PCGS or NGC, and treat any raw “rare” Chinese coin at a too-good price as suspect. No statistics on fakes are cited here because none could be verified.
Real prices come from real sales. Check what China coins are actually selling for right now.
Live eBay listings1890–1908 Kwangtung 7 Mace 2 Candareens Dollar1890–19081908 Kuang-hsü Central Mint Dollar19081911 Long-Whiskered Dragon Dollar19111912 Sun Yat-sen Memento Dollar19121914 Yuan Shih-kai Dollar19141916 Hung Hsien Dollar19161923 Tsao Kun Dollar19231928 Kweichow Automobile Dollar19281933 Sun Yat-sen Junk Dollar19331934 Sun Yat-sen Junk Dollar19341982 Great Wall 1 Yuan1982Watch @CapsCoinsCollector checklistsThe Weekend Coin DealerMatching checklists & toolsAs an eBay Partner, The Coin Wiki may earn from qualifying purchases.