The reverse displays a light mottled tone engraved with four Chinese characters that read “Qing Dynasty Silver Dollar.”

“The artistic details of this coin alone make it a stand-out piece in any collection,” says Brian Kendrella, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries, which is handling the auction. “Factor in the rarity as well and you have a collector’s piece that is seldom seen throughout the world.” 

This rare dollar is missing from the most significant collections of Chinese coins, private or institutional, including the Irving Goodman, Norman Jacobs, and Chang Foundation collections. Its appearance on the auction block offers a great opportunity for collectors of Chinese and Asian coins, Kendrella says.

The Chinese silver dollar was once in the collection of Eduard Kann (1880–1962), an Austrian banker and a specialist in Chinese numismatics. In December 2010, Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold the coin on behalf of the Wa She Wong Collection for US$431,250. The auction house didn’t disclose who is the consigner this time.

Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ two-day auction will take place at the Grand Hyatt in New York from Jan. 17-18.