Bagge Richard Peiyang Specimen Dollars

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History of the Peiyang Specimen Dollars

The Chinese coins are originally from Richard Bagge, Consul-General for Sweden in Shanghai (circa 1908). His son, Ragnvald Richardson Bagge (1903-1991) was also a Swedish diplomat and his family consigned the coins.

The two-coin set was obviously displayed together for a prolonged time as the very old cabinet tone on the obverse of one matches the toning on the reverse of the other. The very bold striking quality is distinctly different especially in the detail in the design elements, lettering and denticles from other Peiyang year 29 dollars we have encountered. The concentric circular die tooling marks either side are indicative of very early strikes from fresh dies as one would expect with Specimen strikes.

MR. RICHARD BAGGE (Carl Richard Esaias Samuelsson Bagge), Consul General for Sweden, was born at Vänersborg 6 July 1860 and was educated at Upsala University Graduating as a Doctor of Law in 1886. He practiced in the Stockholm Courts for a year and was then appointed Consular Attaché at Havre France where he remained for three years. He became secretary to the Diplomatic Agency at Cairo in 1890 and two years later was transferred to New York as Swedish Vice Consul From 1894 to 1898. He was then attached to the Consulate General in London. He was then appointed Consul General at Barcelona before returning to London where he was then attached to the Consulate General. After this posting he was ordered to proceed to Quebec as Consul General. It was whilst in Quebec that Mr. Bagge met his wife whose father had formerly held the position of Consul General in that city From December 1905 until September 1906. Mr. Bagge was then Consul General at Hamburg before he was then transferred to Shanghai.

Peiyang Mint

“The Peiyang Mint was situated at the East Arsenal and began working in 1896. During that year it stamped only $7,600 worth of dollars half dollars, 20 cent, 10 cent, and 5 cent pieces Although under full time in the three following years it minted respectively $1,176,556 $3,030,950 and $1,645,789 worth of these silver coins the dollars however formed the bulk of the output. Some of the earliest of these coins came upon the market so much lighter than the regular coins then in circulation that they were discredited by two of the foreign banks. This immediately led to the recall of the light issue and its replacement by the new set minted to the proper standard of weight and touch In 1898 and 1899 and Mint also produced some 580 million cash each year representing roughly an annual value of taels 225,000. When the bombardment and capture of the Arsenal took place June 1900 further minting operations were temporarily checked. From 1902 onward copper coins were produced by the Peiyang Mint which was then treated as a branch of the Tientsin Central Mint. “ --- The China Journal, Volume 31, July 1939

Silver dollar production resumed at the mint again in 1903 during the 29th year of Emperor Kuang Hsu. It would seem likely that foreign dignitaries could likely be given specimen strikes as gifts for the re-opening of the mint.

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SA: Collections Featured In This Auction

Richard Bagge’s Chihli Specimen Dollars

In this auction we are thrilled to feature two extraordinarily rare Chihli specimen dollars from the Peiyang Mint. The two pieces are wonderfully matched, and were clearly on display together for a prolonged time as indicated by the deep original cabinet toning. The coins were acquired by Richard Bagge, Consul-General for Sweden in Shanghai (circa 1908).

Both have been graded by NGC as Specimen strikes, with grades of SP65 and SP64+ respectively. These are the first of the year 29 Peiyang dollars graded by any of the major grading companies as Specimens.

Richard Bagge (Carl Richard Esaias Samuelsson Bagge), Consul General for Sweden, was born at Vänersborg 6 July 1860 and was educated at Uppsala University Graduating as a Doctor of Law in 1886. He became secretary to the Diplomatic Agency at Cairo in 1890 and two years later was transferred to New York as Swedish Vice Consul from 1894 to 1898. He was then attached to the Consulate General in London. He was then appointed Consul General at Barcelona before returning to London where he was attached to the Consulate General. After this posting he was ordered to proceed to Quebec as Consul General. Mr. Bagge was then Consul General at Hamburg before he was then transferred to Shanghai.

jeff11

A very good introduction, the context is clear, and people can understand the story behind the coins at a glance.