Mr. Poon from Hung Hom's garage found an old cloth bag in the wall: 1902 British Trade Dollar Authentication Record
Silver dollars always appear in the most unexpected places. This particular "Standing Liberty" dollar was discovered inside a wall at an auto repair shop.
Mr. Poon, 53, has been repairing cars in Hung Hom for thirty years, inheriting the shop from his father. This year, the shop needed its fire system renovated. While workers were opening up walls for wiring, they found a moldy canvas pouch tucked in the gap between the concrete inner wall and the outer wall. Inside, there was just one silver coin.
"The shop was built in the 1960s. Maybe someone hid it there when it was built," Mr. Poon speculated. He wasn't knowledgeable about coins, but he felt it had historical significance worth looking into.
Appraisal: 1902 British Trade Dollar
Due to prolonged exposure to damp conditions, the silver coin's surface was heavily oxidized, appearing deep grey, almost black. However, its features were still clear:
- Obverse: Standing Britannia holding a trident, with a shield at her feet.
- Reverse: Chinese characters "壹圓" (One Yuan) + Malay denomination + Arabic numeral year 1902.
- Reeding: Straight reeding, clear and consistent depth.
- Weight: 26.88 grams (standard 26.96 grams, deviation within acceptable range).
- Condition: After cleaning surface tarnish, graded F12-F15.
1902 is a mid-to-late year in the British Trade Dollar series, minted in Bombay. The mintage for this year is moderate; it's not particularly rare but has stable demand.
Offer
Buyback price for a 1902 British Trade Dollar in F12-F15 condition: HK$1,800-2,200. Considering the environmental toning affects its aesthetic appeal, an offer of HK$1,900 was made.
Mr. Poon accepted the offer on the spot. He said that while the money wasn't a large sum, "something falling out of the wall is purely unexpected good fortune."
Renovating an old shop, finding silver or copper coins in the walls? Don't throw them away. WhatsApp 98342057 to send photos, and Gu Jin Jian Bao offers immediate free appraisal.