CD1906 China Hupeh Province 10 Cash – "Large Nose Dragon, Standard Obverse" Variety – NGC MS 61 BN
Details
- Denomination: 10 Cash
- Province: Hupeh (Hubei)
- Date: CD1906 (Chinese Date, Guangxu era)
- Composition: Copper
- Grade: NGC MS 61 BN — original, uncleaned surfaces with attractive brown patina
- Rarity: Only 55 examples graded MS 61 BN by NGC, with none graded higher — a condition-census coin, and notably scarcer than most other Hupeh dragon varieties at this grade
Brief History
Struck at the Hupeh provincial mint in Wuchang during the closing years of the Qing Dynasty, this copper 10 Cash coin was part of China's shift to machine-struck coinage, replacing the centuries-old hand-cast cash system. The "Large Nose Dragon" designation refers to a distinct die variety in the dragon's facial detailing on the reverse, one of many minor variants Hupeh mint engravers produced during this period — differences collectors use to build detailed variety sets of these coppers. Like most circulating coinage of the era, the vast majority of surviving examples show heavy wear, making a Mint State survivor with original brown color like this one a genuine rarity for specialists.
