Spink Offers Rare Hong Kong Specimen Certified by PMG

Posted on 6/23/2026

This note, seldom seen with these colors, is expected to sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

A rare Color Trial Specimen leads a group of nearly 300 paper money lots certified by PMG® in an upcoming auction. Bidding is already underway for CSS126A - China, Hong Kong and World Banknotes and Coins Auction, which concludes on July 2, 2026.

Click images to enlarge.

The top banknote in the auction is a Hong Kong 1930 10 Dollars Color Trial Specimen graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 287), with an estimate of HKD280,000 to HKD380,000 (about $36,000 to $48,000). This note is a "Top Pop," the higher graded of two of this exact catalog number in the PMG Population Report. The front of issued notes were orange instead of the green on this Color Trial Specimen, while the back of issued notes were green instead of dark red.

Other PMG-certified highlights of the auction include:

  • a Hong Kong, Mercantile Bank of India Ltd. 1941 5 Dollars graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine EPQ (lot 284), with an estimate of HKD140,000 to HKD180,000 (about $18,000 to $23,000)
  • a China / People's Republic 1949 50 Yuan graded PMG 55 About Uncirculated EPQ (lot 136), with an estimate of HKD100,000 to HKD160,000 (about $13,000 to $20,000)
  • a China, Ta-Ching Government Bank 1909 50 Dollars Specimen graded PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated EPQ (lot 11), with an estimate of HKD80,000 to HKD120,000 (about $10,000 to $15,000)
  • a Hong Kong, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation 1930 500 Dollars graded PMG 25 Very Fine (lot 375), with an estimate of HKD80,000 to HKD100,000 (about $10,000 to $13,000)
  • a China / Empire - Ming Dynasty 1368-99 1 Kuan graded PMG 53 About Uncirculated (lot 1), with an estimate of HKD50,000 to HKD100,000 (about $6,400 to $13,000)
  • a Hong Kong, Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China 1911-22 5 Dollars graded PMG 20 Very Fine (lot 295), with an estimate of HKD80,000 to HKD90,000 (about $10,000 to $11,000)
  • a Hong Kong, Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China 1911-22 5 Dollars graded PMG 25 Very Fine (lot 296), with an estimate of HKD60,000 to HKD90,000 (about $7,700 to $11,000)
  • a Hong Kong, Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China 1930-31 5 Dollars graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 297), with an estimate of HKD60,000 to HKD80,000 (about $7,700 to $10,000)

Estimates are provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.


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