CHINA-REPUBLIC 1932 Sun Yat Sen One Dollar Copper Trial, KANN-622x, NGC MS64 BN, Finest Known example, NC Collection, from Jess Peters' Price List in 1972. from 1963 Wayte Raymond auction (USD 181.25)

Auction Result(s):

12/2020, Hong Kong, PCGS UNC DETAILS, USD 34,800.

In the 1970s one heard rumors of a person residing in the USA who owned a bag of 1,000 Birds Over Junk Dollars. Although this coin was reportedly recalled and melted, there are plenty of them around, mostly uncirculated. Bruce Smith suspected many were saved from the melting pot by collectors connected with the mint. In 1936, the director of the Shanghai Mint, Jian H. Chen, reported 1,661,647.2 fine ounces of 1932 dollars were melted in December 1935. If this is correct, then as many as 10,000 birds over junk dollars could have survived.

The 1934 is far more common than the 1933. Bruce suspected it was the 1934 date which was restruck in the USA in 1949. During June and July 1949, all three US mints restruck Junk dollars on behalf of the Chinese government. At the same time, the San Francisco Mint restruck 1898 dated Mexican pesos for the Chinese government. The restruck coins were airlifted to China in a desperate effort to prop up the Chinese currency system.

NGC MS64 BN