Hong Kong Hong Kong Shanghai Fantasy Tael (Fakes are possible) 1867

Museum Victoria has a good article on this super-high value pattern coin from Hong Kong. The original coins, now worth tens of thousands of US dollars, were produced at the Hong Kong mint using British dies. This is a 'pattern' experimental coin and it never entered circulation.

Well, the problem is that collectors love exotic coins, and coins with 'Hong Kong' and 'Shanghai' conjure up all sorts of intrigue. Needless to say, enterprising manufacturers started producing reproductions of the genuine coin and then sold them to collectors. This is usually called the crime of counterfeiting, but, since the piece never circulated, a more polite term is used -- these reproductions are 'fantasy coins' and they are legal to own.

The exquisite fantasy coin in our main picture comes from Ponterio & Associates (now Stack's Bowers) and is a high-quality reproduction. It sold for $2000 in a 2010 auction. This is a very high price and it is surprising that a fake coin sold for this much. But ... collectors love exotic coins.

However, the quality of the reproduction makes all the difference. A low-quality coin will sell for a few US dollars, not thousands of US dollars.

The evaluation of this coin depends on the quality of the reproduction:

High quality: $200 to $2000
Low quality: $5 to $50

Use the graphic below to estimate the value of your specific piece.

CoinQuest thanks Ponterio & Associated for use of their coin image.

If you would like CoinQuest to estimate the value of your Shanghai tael based on pictures you send, use the Contact Us link to start an e-mail exchange.
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