Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio had great success in its October 2025 Hong Kong (SAR) Auction offering something for everyone. Spanning eight days and encompassing nearly 8,500 lots, the sale of coinage and paper money realized more than $18 million (including buyer’s premiums). The sale accurately reflects the growing strength of the collector market and firmly establishes Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio’s position, especially in Asian numismatics.

The massive undertaking began with Rarities Night, in which 233 lots of exceptional Chinese treasures were offered. These lots were responsible for $6,202,000 in total sales. Leading the session was a Flying Dragon pattern gold dollar coin. Produced at the Tientsin Mint, the undated 1916 issue was graded Specimen 64+ by Professional Coin Grading Service, in a three-way tie for finest known. Previously part of the Chang Collection and the Ultima Collection, it last appeared on the market in 2014. It sold for $504,000.

A pair of coins each attained a final price of $240,000 in the session. The honors went to a Kiangan 7-mace 2-candareen silver dollar graded MS-62 and to a gold presentation 1921 Chinese Pavilion dollar.

In session four, which featured ancient and world coins, a Numismatic Guaranty Co Proof 61 Russian gold 10-ruble pattern celebrating the tenth anniversary of the coronation of Nicholas I sold for $168,000. The St. Petersburg Mint product’s obverse features the left-facing busts of Nicholas I and Alexandra Feodorovna and a reverse with a crowned monogram within a wreath.

The 2,384 lots in the world paper money sale were topped by a People’s Bank of China 10-yuan note whose attractive factors include, first, its highly coveted EPQ (Exceptional Paper Quality) description and, second, its serial number, a combination of Roman and Arabic numerals, III I II 0018888. The serial number, which ends in 8888 and qualifies as a “lion number,” is considered phenomenal. The cataloger is aware of only one other 10-yuan note ending in 888, making this note as close to a solid as possible. A special bonus is that no 4 or 7 is in either the prefix or serial number.

Bidding raised the final price to $114,000, more than twice the note’s pre-sale estimate.

Complete results for the October 2025 Hong Kong (SAR) Auction are available at StacksBowers.com.

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