西藏光绪元宝官炉局铸壹两银币。重36.21克。<p>设计风格与构造与湖南银饼非常相似的极罕版别，品相无可媲美。除耿爱德外，各大主流目录中均未收录。西藏壹两存世真品极少，编者翻遍记录亦只能找到耿爱德藏中的一枚(后被古德曼收藏)。<p>此版在过去70年间神秘重重，泉界所知甚少。耿爱德在1954年写道并未列明日期，而且不为众人所知。似乎是仿照湖南版打铸，因此必定生产于湖南版之后，相信是在1908年或以后。目前无从得知此批壹两银饼是否进入流通以及在西藏何处使用。<p>杏黄色包浆，底板则较深，带有银光，肉眼不见经手痕迹，反面两字有沉积及若干轻微留痕。唯一入盒，品相极佳，略有低评。<p>极之罕见的版别，而且是名家旧藏，流传有序，难以想象将以何等价格落槌。(t) CHINA. Tibet. Tael, ND (ca. 1908). Kuang-hsu (Guangxu). PCGS AU-58.L&M-Unlisted; K-1479 = Goodman-1902; KM-Unlisted (though cf. KMX-T1 for a fantasy issue of the type); WS-Unlisted; Chang Foundation-Unlisted; Wenchao-Unlisted; YZM-Unlisted; Rhodes-479 (this coin). Weight: 36.21 gms. Closely paralleling the cake issues of Hunan in style and fabric, this <strong>EXCEPTIONAL RARITY</strong> is virtually unrivaled, being unlisted in all of the major references for the area outside of Kann, and with the Kann (<em>and later, Goodman</em>) specimen standing as the only other instance of the type that this cataloger could locate. Indeed, little light has been shed upon their mysterious and highly elusive nature in the past 70 years, with Kann writing in 1954 that <em>The date is unstated and generally unknown. But it appears logical that this kind of coinage was copied from Hunan and must therefore be of later creation, let us say, earliest 1908, but probably somewhat later. Whether these 1-tael cakes actually entered circulation and, if so, in which part of Tibet they were in use, is not known at this stage.</em> Lightly toned, with some deeper gray hues combining wonderfully with remaining brilliance that emerges from the protected areas. Virtually no evidence of handling is observed, with some deposits and a few light marks within 兩 on the reverse noted merely for completeness. Given the overwhelming <strong>RARITY</strong> that this piece offers, as well as its stellar provenance, its seemingly unfathomable to determine how high it could soar or how many prospective bidders it may excite and enthrall.PCGS AU-58.Ex: Nicholas Rhodes Collection (Spink 13020 - 8/2013) Lot # 479 (@ HKD 130,000 [~ $16,764 at the time]).
