Great Britain: George V Proof Trade Dollar 1935-B,...

Description

Important Trade Dollar

George V Proof Trade Dollar 1935-B, KM-T5, PR58 NGC, one of the rarities of the 20th century, struck at the very end of the period of emission for these curious "intercontinental" pieces, at the Bombay Mint. Proofs are special, and this coin, although lightly impaired, has a pleasant, original and light silvery gray toning that permits the reflective mirrored surfaces to shine through for all to admire. It surely ranks among the nicest examples extant of this date, and as a proof issue its details are superbly rendered in great detail. Last January we featured a Mint State example of this date, and at that time we provided a brief history of the coinage, which we would like to repeat here, in modified version, so that present bidders may easily appreciate why the 1935-B Trade dollar is a great rarity.

This is the second rarest of all the British trade dollars of this era (after the 1921-B). The estimated number of commercial pieces (those struck for use in commerce) that have survived, from a large mintage, is a paltry 25 coins. British trade dollars were manufactured from the end of Victoria's reign until this year, when they suddenly stopped being minted. Bombay was the principal facility but most of these silver dollars were used by, and intended for, merchant trades to and with Hong Kong and surrounding ports in and near China. The story of the 1935 trade dollar has never been fully told, but it is likely that these pieces ceased as useful money as a result of the passage in this year of the Currency Ordinance which called for the creation of Hong Kong's own money, both in paper and in metal, to replace foreign monies. The 1935-B British trade dollar was the last of its kind, and it is likely that almost all of the coins minted in this year were dumped into the smelting pots at the mint after the Ordinance passed, with just a few pieces held back as mementoes, as well as a few pieces struck as proofs . . . and then the coin passed into history. Recently it has come under intense buying pressure, by sharp and informed collectors, as a key piece to not only the British silver series but also the coinage of Hong Kong and the Chinese merchants of that now-vanished era. We fully expect our estimate to be exceeded as this specimen is both important and of exceptional eye-appeal.


Metal: Silver
Diameter: 39.00mm
Weight: 26.9568g
ASW: 0.78oz
Mintage: 20

More information about Great Britain Coins. See also: Great Britain World Coin Nationality.

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