Struck at the Kwangtung mint in Canton (Guangzhou), the dragon dollar was among Imperial China’s earliest machine-made silver dollars (preceded by 1889 issues) — and the design template every other province copied. This entry covers the type, its specs, and the record-setting rarities at the top of the series.
Key facts
- Undated issues struck 1890–1908 (KM-Y203, L&M-133, Kann-26), Guangzhou (Canton) mint; 27 g silver, 39 mm, denominated 7 mace 2 candareens (Heritage Auctions lot descriptions, NGC-certified).
- This issue was the first to move the English legend to the dragon side of the coin, after the earlier arrangement drew public and official opposition — a small number of presentation specimens were struck before mass circulation production (Heritage).
- The design became the model for all other imperial silver dollars (Heritage: “would become the model for all other silver Dollars minted in the Empire”).
- Earlier dated issues exist: an 1889-dated 7 mace 3 candareens Kwangtung dollar (KM-Y198) — among the first milled coinage of Imperial China, struck to replace Spanish and Mexican 8 reales — saw a finest-certified MS64+ NGC example realize $228,000 at a Heritage Hong Kong sale (Numismatic News).
- A superb SP67 PCGS “standard pattern” specimen is described by Heritage as possibly the finest known of its kind.
Market check
As an eBay Partner, The Coin Wiki may earn from qualifying purchases.