People's Republic silver Proof "Devices Near to Rim" Peacock 150 Yuan (20 oz) 1993 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC, Shanghai mint, cf. KM599, Cheng-pg 140, 1, CC-546B (mintage unlisted). Devices near to rim variety. An exceptional and nearly flawless example of this important variant of the "Peacock" 150 Yuan, exhibiting devices aligned directly against the rim of the obverse. Though this particular design feature is standard for the 10 Yuan and 50 Yuan issues of the same year, the regular 150 Yuan displays a clear border around the outermost obverse features, a characteristic that one will immediately notice to be missing in the present example. We note that the offering, a tremendous rarity of Chinese numismatics, was previously certified by NGC in 2017 as part of the Hercules Collection of Modern Chinese Coins, a collection which NGC has described as "One of the most important collections of Chinese modern coins ever assembled", and one which included "a high grade example of virtually every non-circulating modern coin issued by China since 1979". Only two examples of this important variant have been certified by NGC to-date, and none have come to auction until now, rendering it leagues rarer than its "devices far from rim" standard issue counterpart, and ensuring that whoever's collection it enters will be graced by an indisputable giant of modern Chinese coinage. With all likelihood, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Images Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, HA.com