Macau Exhibit of 1897-1898 Otto Beh Coin Dies —Unveiling a Centennial Mystery of Chinese Pattern Coi

This portfolio of 42 dies and 36 letter punches used by the Otto Beh Company of Esslingen, Germany to produce coins for China in 1897-1898 is an important document of Chinese numismatic history and of the close economic ties between Germany and China at the end of the 19th century. Before 2012, where the five provinces (Heilungkiang, Chekiang, Anhwei, Feng-Tien and Sinkiang) extremely rare pattern coins were struck was a numismatic mystery. This portfolio of 42 dies and 36 letter punches were auctioned in June 2012 unveils this centennial mystery of Chinese pattern coins, which became an important discovery in Chinese numismatic history.
 

David Chio, director of the MNS, introduces the Otto Beh Dies to the VIP guests

Closely linked with the Otto Beh Company (established in 1884) was the firm of Louis Schuler (established in 1839) from neighbouring Göppingen. Today the world’s leading producer of coining machines, Schuler specialized in the 19th century in manufacturing sheet metal working machines - and presses in particular. Schuler obtained the order to supply coin presses in 1895 - in all probability at the Leipzig Trade Fair. This order was probably an achievement of mutual agreement by the Qing imperial court envoy Li Hung-chang and Otto Bismarck, the former chancellor of Germany. The Otto Beh company archive retains the original order.

Schuler, in turn, commissioned Otto Beh, who specialized in the production of seals and dies, with manufacturing the coining dies. Otto Beh supplied Schuler with over 200 dies for Chinese coins in 1897 and 1898. At the time this was by far the largest order for Otto Beh. The company celebrated its 125 year anniversary in 2009. To mark this occasion, numismatist Gerhard E. Kümmel from Esslingen drafted a history of the company with a catalogue of the medals, badges and pins brought out by Beh (Gerhard E. Kümmel; 125 Jahre Gravier-und Prägeanstalt Otto Beh, Esslingen, Medaillen-Plaketten-Anstecknadeln, Esslingen 2011), with Heilungkiang, Chekiang, Anhwei, Feng-Tien and Sinkiang coin dies included . Unfortunately, the catalog gained little attention from Chinese numismatists due to its limited print size.

The 42 coin dies and 36 letter punches were offered for sale at Künker Auction No. 211, June 18-19, 2012 as lot 2528, but they were withdrawn from sale because of its particular historical importance and so it could be donated to a museum to be studied by numismatic specialists. The dies were purchased by Michael Chou of Champion Auction. According to the terms of the purchase agreement, the dies will be donated to a museum without compensation and Michael Chou has the final decision on which museum shall be the recipient of the dies. In June 2014, Michael Chou and independent observer, J.C. Lee, travelled to Germany and evaluated possible candidates for a permanent home for the dies. In March 2015, Moritzburg Halle (Saale) - Museum of Art of the State of Saxony-Anhalt was selected as the final home for the Otto Beh dies. After the Macau special exhibit on December 3-6 2015, the dies and letter punches will be displayed at the Berlin World Money Fair on February 5-6 2016, and transferred from Michael Chou to the Museum on February 6, after which they will enter the museum for permanent display.
 

  
Otto Beh Coin Dies

Five rare Chinese prototype coins displayed are listed as follows:
1897 Sinkiang (Sungarai) 1 Mace Brass Pattern, NGC SP-63, only 2-3 examples known to exist;
1897 Feng-Tien Province One Dollar Brass Pattern, NGC MS-62, unique;
1897 Heilungkiang Province 20 Cents Brass Pattern, NGC PF-61, only 2 examples known to exist;
1897 Heilungkiang Province 10 Cents Brass Pattern, NGC PF-64, unique;
1897 Hunan Province 10 Cash Copper Pattern, NGC PF-63 RB, unique.
 

The Otto Beh Company sold its 9 trial specimens through Künker Auctions during 2012-2015. Besides the above-mentioned five rare Chinese patterns, the other four rare patterns are 1897 Anhwei One Dollar Silver-plated Brass Pattern, only 2-3 examples known to exist; 2 1897 Feng-Tien Province 20 Cents Brass Pattern, only 3-4 examples known to exist; 1897 Heilungkiang Province 20 Cents Brass Pattern, only 2 examples known to exist.

Lot 2528 Chinese coining hubs, dies, and letter punches
(L&M numbers refer to the Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Gold & Silver by Lin Gwo Ming & Ma Tak Wo)

Anhwei Province
1. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar) Year 23 (1897): Patrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 192.
2. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 194.
3. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents) Year 24 (1898): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 201.
4. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. Large characters. L./M. die of 194.

Chekiang Province
5. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 271.
6. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 271.
7. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 272.
8. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Patrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 272.
9. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 272.
10. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./ M. die of 273 A.
11. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Patrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./ M. die of 273 A.
12. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./ M. die of 273 A.
13. 3.6 Candareens (5 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./ M. die of 274.
14. 3.2 Candareens (5 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Patrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./ M. die of 274.
15. 3.2 Candareens (5 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./ M. die of 274.
16. 3.2 Candareens (5 Cents) Year 23 (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./ M. die of 274.

Fengtien Province (Fungtien)
17. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar) n.d. (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./ M. die of 467.
18. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar) n.d. (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters: FENG-TIEN. L./M. die of 467 (as TENG-TIEN there).
19. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 468.
20. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters: L./M. die of 468.
21. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 469.
22. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin[1]alphabet letters: TENG-TIEN. L./M. die of 469 (as FENG[1]TIEN there).
23. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 470.
24. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters: TENG[1]TIEN. L./M. die of 470 (as FENG-TIEN there).
25. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents) n.d. (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters: TENG[1]TIEN. L./M. die of 470 (as FENG-TIEN there).

Heilungkiang Province
26. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar) n. d.: Patrix of obverse die with name of province in Chinese characters. L./M. die of 585.

Sin Kiang Province (Sungarai).
27. 4 Mace n. d. (1897): Patrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 830.
28. 2 Mace n. d. (1897): Matrix of reverse die with name of province in Latin-alphabet letters. L./M. die of 831.

Plain patrices, no province.
29. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar): Patrix of obverse die with dragon.
30. 7 Mace and 2 Candareens (Dollar): Patrix of reverse die with Chinese value.
31. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents): Patrix of obverse die with dragon.
32. 3 Mace and 6 Candareens (50 Cents): Patrix of reverse die with Chinese value.
33. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents): Patrix of obverse die with dragon.
34. 1 Mace and 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents): Patrix of reverse die with Chinese value.
35. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents): Patrix of obverse die with dragon.
36. 7.2 Candareens (10 Cents): Patrix of reverse die with Chinese value.
37. 3.6 Candareens (5 Cents): Patrix of obverse die with dragon.
38. 3.6 Candareens (5 Cents): Patrix of reverse die with Chinese value.

Plain matrices, no province
39. 3.6 Candareens (5 Cents): Matrix of obverse die with dragon.
40. 3.6 Candareens (5 Cents): Matrix of reverse die with Chinese value.

Sin Kiang Province Kwang Hsu, 1875-1889-1908.
41. 10 Cash: Matrix of obverse die.
42. 10 Cash: Matrix of reverse die.

Letter punches.
36 punches for Chinese characters.

42 stamps and 36 letter punches.
Outstanding object of extraordinary significance for Chinese monetary history