This set of three original pencil sketches for a proposed Chinese coin with NGC certification was LUIGI GIORGI's work. The three sketches depict different versions of a dragon surrounding a two seal script [li shu, 隸書 ] words yi yuan [one dollar, 壹圓 ].
These sketches are from a group of documents originally in the Coole Collection and described in the 1963 inventory of his collection: "Original MSS for the designing of a silver dollar for presentation to Prince Regent Zai Feng [ 載灃 ], the father of the Emperor Xuan Tong [ 宣 統 ], which include seven documents as follows: 1) A dissertation on the proposed use of gold money for Sinkiang province; 2) Biography of the artist who has drawn the designs and some historical facts; 3) the design recommended as the best; 4) the design favored as second; 5) the design favored as third; 6) pass to the Outer Gate of the Imperial Palace in Peking issued to the artist by the Assistant Military Commander of Peking, Jui Feng; and 7) pass to the Inner Gate of the Imperial City issued during the 1st year of the reign of Xuan Tong on March 1." Present in this lot are the three sketches and the text about gold coins in Sinkiang (Xinjiang) Province. The biography, the pass, and most importantly, the name of the artist are missing.
These sketches are from a group of documents originally in the Coole Collection and described in the 1963 inventory of his collection: "Original MSS for the designing of a silver dollar for presentation to Prince Regent Zai Feng [ 載灃 ], the father of the Emperor Xuan Tong [ 宣 統 ], which include seven documents as follows: 1) A dissertation on the proposed use of gold money for Sinkiang province; 2) Biography of the artist who has drawn the designs and some historical facts; 3) the design recommended as the best; 4) the design favored as second; 5) the design favored as third; 6) pass to the Outer Gate of the Imperial Palace in Peking issued to the artist by the Assistant Military Commander of Peking, Jui Feng; and 7) pass to the Inner Gate of the Imperial City issued during the 1st year of the reign of Xuan Tong on March 1." Present in this lot are the three sketches and the text about gold coins in Sinkiang (Xinjiang) Province. The biography, the pass, and most importantly, the name of the artist are missing.
The design recommended as the best, with an Arthur Coole Collection label and ties to the memorial to the throne on the reverse
The second design, with an Arthur Coole Collection label on the right
The design favored as third, with an Arthur Coole Collection label on the right
The text concerning gold coins in the Sinkiang Province, with an Arthur Coole Collection label at right
From Coole's description, we know that these designs were presented in the spring of 1911. The sketch recommended in first place, with the dragon facing the viewer, matches the 1911 series of silver dollars made at the Tientsin Mint (Kann 223-227; KM Y31), and the design favored second, with the dragon facing to the left, matches the half dollar and smaller coins in the same series (Kann 228-230; KM Y28-30). All of final design had a dragon pearl added, as on all Chinese dragon coins.
Year 3 Standing Dragon 50 cent coin pattern with an extra pearl based on the design favored second, of which only a few are known, Bowker Collection. 11/2020, Champion Auction, NGC MS62, USD 132,000
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Year 3 Standing Dragon 50 cent coin pattern with an extra pearl based on the design favored second,.Unique, with incused L. GIORGI signature at the bottom, NGC MS63, NC Collection |
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 Year 3 Standing Dragon 50-cent coin with regular dragon pearl for general release, NC Collection, NGC MS65 |
 Year 3 silver dollar, with raised L. GIORGI signature, 2012, Kuerker Auction, NGC MS63, EURO 520,000 |
We know that Luigi Giorgi designed the 1911 dollar and half dollar coins from the pattern coins that bear his name, so these sketches are almost certainly his.
Giorgi, the most famous engraver of Chinese coins, was appointed as the chief engraver at the Tientsin Mint in 1910 and served in that position until 1917. Previously, he had worked for the Italian medallic firm of Stefano Johnson in Milan. There was another engraver by the same name who worked at the Rome Mint until he died in 1912. However, Luigi Giorgi, who worked in China, was not related to the better known Italian engraver. Giorgi's signature, GIORGI or L. GIORGI or L.G., appears on a number of Chinese pattern coins during the 1911-1917 period, the best known of which are various designs of Yuan Shih Kai [ 袁世凱 ] coins and those of his brief reign as Emperor Xuan Tong (1916).
The only other original artist's sketch for a Chinese coin known to be in private hands is a sketch for the 1923 Dragon & Phoenix Dollar, long believed to have been issued to commemorate the deposed, last emperor's wedding. This mystery was unraveled in November 1993 when the original sketch for the coin showed up in an auction of the Money Company and was purchased by a Chinese researcher, Bruce W. Smith, for Nelson Chang (NC Collection). Giorgi signed the sketch, and the date on the coin is 1914 - not 1923. The sketch appeared on the cover of the first issue of the Journal of the East Asian Numismatics (JEAN) in July 1994. Since this coin is believed to have been issued to commemorate the 1923 wedding of the former emperor, how could Giorgi have designed it nine years earlier? The answer appeared in another issue of the JEAN. This design was intended for a coin to replace those with the portrait of Yuan Shih Kai, but the coins were never struck at that time. A second attempt to replace the Yuan Shih Kai coins was made in 1923, when the Dragon & Phoenix dollar was issued, portraying national symbols rather than those of an individual. Unpopular with the public, few of these coins were made, and the Yuan Shih Kai coins continued to be minted until replaced by the Sun Yat-Sen [ 孫中山 ] coins in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
The first issue of the JEAN issued in July 1994
The sketch of the Dragon & Phoenix dollar with L. GIORGI signature is at the bottom of the cover
The sketch of the Dragon & Phoenix dollar with L. GIORGI signature is at the bottom of the cover
Why the text about Sinkiang gold coins was included with this group is unknown. Perhaps the designs were originally intended for Sinkiang gold coins, but it is also possible the Sinkiang text does not belong with these manuscripts.
The drawings are each 9 inches (227mm) in diameter. The four pieces in this set are absolutely unique museum pieces.
The drawings are each 9 inches (227mm) in diameter. The four pieces in this set are absolutely unique museum pieces.