China Kiau Chau (Kiaochow, Kiautschou) 5 and 10 Cents 1909

A study of Kiau Chou history tells about the horrific circumstances leading to its take over by Germany in 1897. Kiau Chou, with its many westernized spellings (Kiaochow, Kiautschou, Kiao-chao, Kiauchau, Kiaochau, Jiaozhou, and others) was originally associated with Jiaozhou Bay in China's Yellow Sea. Today it is known as Jiaozhou, with its major city Tsingtao (Qingdao today), known for its beer, a legacy of German occupation between 1898 and 1914.

During its occupation by Germany, 5 and 10 cent coins were issued in small numbers and used for trade. The coins include Chinese characters as well as the German imperial eagle. The specimen in our picture comes from Wolfgang Rittig, a respected coin dealer in Schwelm, Germany, who has it on sale for 135 euros (about $180 US dollars). Rittig's coin is in very good shape, so it commands a good price. Without the thumb print, the price would be higher. Here are approximate catalog values:

KIAU CHAU 5 CENTS 1909
worn: $50 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $90
well preserved: $150
fully uncirculated: $300

KIAU CHAU 10 CENTS 1909
worn: $30 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $70
well preserved: $120
fully uncirculated: $250

As always, more wear will lower the price, and damage like spots, scratches, cleanings, stains, nicks, and gouges will render the piece almost worthless.

If you have a specimen to sell, and want to sell it to a reputable dealer like Rittig, figure a 100 percent mark-up by the dealer. In other words, coin dealers generally offer one-half of retail price for coins they buy from collectors or the general public. The mark-up keeps the dealership solvent.

CoinQuest thanks Wolfgang Rittig for use of the coin photo. It is a nice one!

An interested reader named James sent us this picture of his Kiau Chau 5 cent piece and asked about an evaluation. It is a tough one. First, using our values above, the average circulated coin catalogs at $90 US dollars. Second, one cannot escape the giant 'T' counterstamped on both sides of the coin. The counterstamp lowers overall value, as explained on our page about such counterstamps [PRESS HERE]. Starting at $90 and lowering for the counterstamp, we estimate a value of about $30. Third, the 'T' might be associated with Tsingtao, Kiau Chou's major city and famous beer. We do not know this as fact, but it is a strong possibility. This adds interest to the piece and the value might climb to $40 if you find the right collector. However, fourth, James' coin has very severe scratches which are especially noticeable on the 5c side. Scratches destroy any coin's value, so our estimate for James' coin is $10.
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