China Kirin (1898) 50 Cent Coins

By Jay Turner - September 7, 2022

*China Kirin (1898) 50c LM-511, PCGS MS61. Courtesy of PCGS. Click image to enlarge.*

As previously noted with the article on the (1898) dollar coinage of Kirin, the 50-cent coinage continues to offer an abundance of significant varieties. However, unlike that of the dollar, only two variations are noted on these coins in the LM catalog: LM-511 and LM-517. The difference again being the Chinese for “PAO” with the characters used being “士尔” for LM-511 or “土缶” for LM-517.

*The difference in spelling can be seen here. Courtesy of PCGS. Click images to enlarge.*

For both varieties several subvarieties are significant enough to be noted by PCGS as their own independent varieties. Under LM-511 or “士尔” there exists two types of obverses, one with rosettes flanking the denomination “✤ 3 ∙ CANDARINS ∙ 6 ✤.” However, most of the LM-511 types don’t have the rosettes. Both of these types are listed in Krause using the earlier Yeoman numbers as Y-182 for without rosettes and Y-182.1 for with rosettes. Another sub variety for the LM-511 type is a misspelling of “CANDARINS” as “CANDAPINS” a spelling error that also occurs on other denominations and varieties as well.

*China Kirin (1898) 50c LM-517, PCGS MS64. Courtesy of PCGS. Click image to enlarge.*

*China Kirin (1898) 50c LM-517 spelled “CANDAPINS,” PCGS AU55. Courtesy of PCGS. Click image to enlarge.*

*China Kirin (1898) 50c LM-517 spelled “CANDAIINS,” PCGS XF45. Courtesy of PCGS. Click image to enlarge.*

*China Kirin (1898) 50c LM-517 spelled “C∧ND∧RINS,” PCGS AU50. Courtesy of PCGS. Click image to enlarge.*

*China Kirin (1898) 50c LM-517 spelled “KIPIN,” PCGS AU53. Courtesy of PCGS. Click image to enlarge.*

The type of LM-517 or with the spelling “土缶” also hosts varieties of “✤ 3 ∙ CANDARINS ∙ 6 ✤” or “3 ∙ CANDARINS ∙ 6.” Additionally, multiple English spelling errors are known, including “✤ 3 ∙ CANDAPINS ∙ 6 ✤” and a variety “✤ 3 ∙ CANDAIINS ∙ 6 ✤.” Yet another spelling error on the denomination is with “∧” instead of “A” for ““✤ 3 ∙ C∧ND∧RINS ∙ 6 ✤.” Another variety exists where “KIRIN” is spelled “KIPIN” on the coin.

Like many other vintage Chinese coins, prices can vary greatly. For example, an LM-511 graded PCGS XF40 sold for over $1,400 in a Stack’s Bowers Galleries Hong Kong Auction in May 2022, and an example graded PCGS AU50 fetched more than $4,100 in September 2021 during a different Stack’s Bowers Galleries Hong Kong event. A LM-517 recently sold graded by PCGS XF45 in a Heritage Auctions event for over $1,400 in July 2022, with another coin graded PCGS MS62 realizing in excess of $6,500 in a May 2022 Stack’s Bowers Galleries Hong Kong offering. A PCGS AU53 example of the rare “KIPIN” spelling sold in the May 2022 Stack’s Bowers Galleries Hong Kong Sale for over $3,200.

History China