A 1911 experimental silver dollar with a short-whiskered dragon — the apex of Chinese numismatics. The coin sold for $4.88 million (USD, price realized including buyer’s premium) at Heritage Auctions’ HKINF World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature Auction in Hong Kong on June 17, 2026 — Lot #34033, auction #3134. This entry covers what it is and why it matters.
Key facts
- Experimental pattern struck at the Tientsin (Tianjin) mint in 1911, the final year of the Qing dynasty, as the imperial government tried to create a unified national currency; engraved under Italian chief engraver Luigi Giorgi (NY Post, citing Heritage).
- Only one design of the experimental series was chosen for circulation, making the others — including the “short-whiskered” (9 mm whiskers) variety — ultra-rare patterns. According to Heritage’s catalog, only eight examples of the Short-Whiskered variety are documented, and only three are in private hands.
- Heritage describes the auctioned piece (SP64+ PCGS) as the only example certified across both PCGS and NGC. Provenance: Chang Foundation Collection; Eli Wallitt Collection; Anderson Collection; Peh Family Collection; it was the first on public offer since its appearance in the Chang Foundation Collection.
- Sold by Heritage Auctions in Hong Kong to a phone bidder on June 17, 2026, for $4.88 million (USD, price realized including 22% buyer’s premium); part of the Peh Family Collection assembled by Singapore businessman Peh Chin Hua between 2004 and 2014 (NY Post).
- Dubbed “the Apex Predator of Chinese numismatics” by Heritage’s managing director of world & ancient coins (The Sun, citing Heritage).
Market check
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