A Chinese dollar from 1897 will be sold on September 19, 2025, in Paris at the Drouot Hotel. The starting price is set at 40,000 euros. The coin comes from the Affra collection, renowned among collectors.
The coin was kept at the Millon Riviera gallery located in Nice while waiting to be taken to Paris this week to first be displayed to buyers and then sold on Friday at the Drouot Hotel.
This exceptional coin is already attracting collectors from around the world. According to Gérard Courdil, trainee auctioneer at Millon Riviera in Nice, “its value primarily comes from its almost perfect condition, confirmed by the PCGS laboratory which graded it at level MS64+, one of the highest levels for this type of coin.” This international certification reassures buyers and justifies an estimate between 40,000 and 60,000 euros.
The prestigious provenance also adds to the coin’s value. It is part of the collection of the Portuguese diplomat Rodrigues Simões Affra, assembled while he was stationed in Shanghai in the 1945-1950 years. His descendants have entrusted a new part of this collection to the auction house. This is already the third collaboration of the Affra descendants with Millon Riviera to organize a major auction. A coin from the same collection reached 155,000 euros two years ago.
The interest in this Chinese dollar is also explained by its rarity. Most coins from this era have disappeared, melted down or too damaged to retain numismatic value. This one, preserved in exceptional condition, can almost be called unique.
A coin witnessing monetary history
This Chinese dollar from 1897 illustrates a singular monetary reform. “The aim was to standardize the Chinese currency with the Portuguese dollar, by adopting the same silver weight,” explains Anthony Camos, the auction house’s numismatic expert. The goal was to facilitate trade exchanges between the two countries, a system that the expert compares to an ancestor of the euro.
The coin, minted in the province of Kiangnan, is made of white silver with great precision. Its central dragon protecting a pearl reflects the entire symbolism of Chinese culture. The fine striations around it make it a remarkably precise work for its time.
A numismatic market in anticipation
The numismatic market has experienced a slowdown, estimated at nearly 30% according to Anthony Camos. But the auction organizers remain confident. “We are hopeful that this auction will revive collectors’ interest“, emphasizes the expert. Previous results related to the Affra collection feed this optimism.
A strong international demand expected
The announcement of the sale is already sparking interest abroad. “Yes, there is a lot of interest internationally as well as in France,” confirms Gérard Courdil. The potential buyers are mainly Chinese, motivated by the recovery of heritage items sold or stolen from their country. But American collectors, very present in the numismatic market, are also paying attention to this kind of rarity.
With its prestigious provenance, exceptional state of preservation, and historical importance, this 1897 Chinese dollar might well exceed its initial estimate. As Gérard Courdil sums it up: “The buyers set the final price.”
