Struck at the Birmingham Mint and engraved by Thomas Halliday for Allen & Moore, commemorating the historic voyage of the Keying, the first Chinese junk to sail from China to England.
The Keying was an approximately 800-ton, three-masted Foochow trading vessel that departed Hong Kong in 1846, sailed via the Cape of Good Hope, visited New York and Boston, and finally reached Britain in 1848 after a voyage of 477 days.
Obverse:
Port broadside view of the junk Keying, with inscription THE CHINESE JUNK “KEYING”, and technical specifications below: Extreme Breadth 35 Feet / Burden 750 Tons / Depth of Hold 16 Feet.
Reverse:
Extensive historical inscription describing the construction, purchase, and voyage of the vessel, including its departure from Hong Kong in December 1846 and arrival in England in March 1848.
An important medal commemorating early Sino-Western maritime contact and international trade.
Comparable examples include:
– Stephen Album Rare Coins, Auction 44 (September 2022), hammer $2,200
– Stack’s Bowers (September 2021), PCGS Specimen, hammer $5,040
A scarce and historically significant issue, seldom encountered in this quality.
Struck at the Birmingham Mint and engraved by Thomas Halliday for Allen & Moore, commemorating the historic voyage of the Keying, the first Chinese junk to sail from China to England.
The Keying was an approximately 800-ton, three-masted Foochow trading vessel that departed Hong Kong in 1846, sailed via the Cape of Good Hope, visited New York and Boston, and finally reached Britain in 1848 after a voyage of 477 days.
Obverse:
Port broadside view of the junk Keying, with inscription THE CHINESE JUNK “KEYING”, and technical specifications below: Extreme Breadth 35 Feet / Burden 750 Tons / Depth of Hold 16 Feet.
Reverse:
Extensive historical inscription describing the construction, purchase, and voyage of the vessel, including its departure from Hong Kong in December 1846 and arrival in England in March 1848.
An important medal commemorating early Sino-Western maritime contact and international trade.
Comparable examples include:
– Stephen Album Rare Coins, Auction 44 (September 2022), hammer $2,200
– Stack’s Bowers (September 2021), PCGS Specimen, hammer $5,040
A scarce and historically significant issue, seldom encountered in this quality.
