Heritage's auction of US coin is drawing to its climax in Boston, with some classic rarities drawing six figure bids.
This weekend, however, a second auction of world coins will also conclude at Heritage, and that is likely to be every bit as lively.
The likely top lots in the sale are three gold coins from China. Not well-aged coins, or ones which were ever likely to be spent, but commemorative 10,000 Yuan gold pieces, created in very limited number explicitly for export.
 Large gold Year of the Dog coin |
They are of the same general kind as the 2002 Year of the Horse Proof Lunar gold Kilo coin which we reported on in back in April: eight concave sides and preserved within a soft plastic package and a hardwood case. However, there is something different about all three of the coins:
Of the 15 of each made, all of these 100 mm wide, 32.146 oz coins are marked as being number eight - famously a lucky number by Chinese tradition, which makese them more covetable and a stronger investment.
As a result, they may be expected to draw greater interest than the April example. This time the 2002 Year of the Horse coin has already received a bid of $140,000 compared to the final price of $138,000 at the conclusion of the previous auction. All three are estimated to sell for $200,000 - $225,000.
At time of writing, the 2005 Year of the Rooster version currently bears an identical bid of $140,000, whilst the 2006 Year of the Dog coin has its snout just in front with the awkward bid of $141,414, presumably due to bidding in a different currency.
Watch this space for the results. Or, if you'd like to buy some rare coins outright, here is a selection to choose from.
- Learn how you can get pleasure and profit by investing in rare gold coins
- Click here for all the latest Coins and Banknotes news
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