"Ah! It's truly astonishing how fortuitous you are, young man, to stumble upon such a complete set of signed Yuan Shikai silver dollars. The condition is impeccable, and such a rarity even within the realm of Chinese numismatics. It appears your fortunes are indeed turning for the better..."
Fang Bo didn't lift his head, instead using a magnifying glass to examine the Yuan Shikai silver dollar between his fingers, speaking to Jin Muchen as he did so.
Jin Muchen stood aside with a cheerful demeanor, offering no response.
Putting down the magnifying glass, Fang Bo carefully placed the Yuan Shikai silver dollar into a velvet pouch, then looked up at Jin Muchen and inquired, "Where did you acquire such a fine piece?"
"Well, it's quite an interesting story..." Jin Muchen proceeded to recount the tale of his acquisition of this set of Yuan Shikai silver dollars to Fang Bo with laughter. Fang Bo's eyebrows kept twitching as he listened, bursting into laughter especially when he heard about Jin Muchen haggling with the Indian merchant.
For collectors and connoisseurs like Fang Bo, perusing antique markets was more about enjoying the thrill of the hunt. Whether it happened to them or others, stumbling upon treasures like this was always a delight.
In the world of collectors, the joy lies in the process of acquiring items, especially through various unique experiences.
"It seems your luck is indeed on the rise. In just a few days, you've stumbled upon yet another great bargain. Your luck, if spoken of, would indeed be considered heaven-defying. Though these Yuan Shikai silver dollars may not be exceedingly rare, the signed editions are scarce. Even within the numismatic circles of China's antique market, finding such a high-quality set is not easy. Who would have thought that across the ocean, in such circumstances, you would chance upon this? Your luck truly seems heaven-sent," Fang Bo chuckled as he spoke to Jin Muchen, who could only nod in agreement. He certainly couldn't confess to Fang Bo about his ability to discern treasures from ordinary items.
"Well done, my boy! I knew I didn't misjudge you. Although you haven't formally studied antique appraisal, you indeed possess a knack for it!" Fang Bo complimented Jin Muchen with a smile.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed by Fang Bo's praise, Jin Muchen knew that his success in these instances was not solely due to talent but rather a combination of luck and his unique ability.
"Sir Fang, please don't say that. It's simply good fortune on my part," Jin Muchen humbly replied, while Fang Bo gave him a stern look.
"Good fortune is also a form of talent, which you cannot deny. Especially in our circle of antique collectors, not everyone possesses such luck," Fang Bo remarked earnestly, making Jin Muchen realize that indeed his recent luck seemed quite extraordinary.
"By the way, Sir Fang, how much do you think this set of Yuan Shikai silver dollars is worth?" Jin Muchen didn't want to dwell too much on talent and luck; he was more interested in the price of the set.
"Well, that's hard to say. Yuan Shikai dollars were not considered antiques when I left China years ago. Even classified as ancient coins, they weren't very valuable. Back then, even those in good condition fetched only tens of yuan. But in recent years, I've heard they've become more sought after in China. When I visited the Panjiayuan Market in Beijing a few years back, they were priced between seven to eight hundred to over a thousand yuan. However, yours is a signed edition, which certainly increases its value. But as for the exact price, I can't guarantee. After all, unlike porcelain, the value of coins depends on how many collectors are willing to pay," Fang Bo explained, uncertain about the price of the signed Yuan Shikai silver dollar set. This left Jin Muchen scratching his head; did he really have to take the set back to China to sell?
Seeing Jin Muchen's dilemma, Fang Bo continued, "If you want to sell this set, there's no rush. Old Zhang and the others who visited a few days ago haven't left yet; they're apparently touring Washington. They'll likely swing by here before they leave, and I'll show them the set. But before that, I'll make a few calls to some old friends in China to confirm the current market value of signed Yuan Shikai silver dollars. Rest assured, considering the price you acquired them for, you'll definitely make a significant profit if they sell."
Feeling relieved by Fang Bo's words, Jin Muchen's mind wandered to Old Zhang and the possibility of him showing interest in the set. If only he could get Old Zhang to appreciate the set of Yuan Shikai silver dollars, then he wouldn't have to worry about fetching a good price.
As Fang Bo finished speaking, the doorbell of the antique shop suddenly rang, and someone entered.
Both of them stopped talking, turning their heads to the door, visibly surprised.
Especially Jin Muchen, who wore a dumbfounded expression when he realized the person entering was none other than the one he had been thinking about – Wang Xueming, Mr. Wang.
What a coincidence!
But why was Mr. Wang here alone at this time? Where were Old Zhang and the others? Why didn't they come together?
"Oh! It's Mr. Wang, what a rare visitor. Why have you come? Didn't you go to Washington with Old Zhang and the others?" Fang Bo quickly got up to greet Mr. Wang, who this time was much more affable and even extended his hand to shake Fang Bo's.
Mr. Wang's demeanor this time was far more relaxed and amiable compared to last time. From the moment he entered, he wore a smile, indicating his good mood.
"Ah, Fang, you're too polite. No need to call me Mr. Wang. Just call me Xueming, or even Xiaowang is fine. Always calling me Mr. Wang makes things formal, when can we be friends? I've been to Washington several times, but I'm not interested this time, so I didn't go with Old Zhang and the others. I've been handling some business matters in New York these days and happened to have some free time today, so I came over," Mr. Wang explained in a friendly manner. Both Fang Bo and Jin Muchen found Mr. Wang's sudden change in attitude somewhat unexpected. From their previous encounter, they thought Mr. Wang was not easy to deal with, but now he seemed quite warm and approachable.
"Old Zhang brought those people with him last time without informing me beforehand. I'm not very familiar with them, so I didn't want to be too enthusiastic. If my attitude last time made you uncomfortable, then I apologize today. Please don't mind," Mr. Wang quickly explained upon seeing Fang Bo and Jin Muchen's puzzled expressions.
Fang Bo and Jin Muchen immediately understood; it seemed Mr. Wang's reserved demeanor last time was not due to arrogance but because of the other people Old Zhang had brought along, which required him to maintain a certain level of formality. It wasn't his intention.
"Haha, don't worry about it, Mr. Wang... I mean, Xueming. Please have a seat. Jin Muchen, make some tea for Mr.
Wang," Fang Bo said politely, but both he and Jin Muchen were still a bit taken aback.
"Ah, no need to be so polite. The reason I came today is simple – I really liked the bowl I bought yesterday. After returning home, I found myself liking it more and more. So, since I had some free time today, I decided to come and take a look, see if you have any more treasures, perhaps similar to the Yongzheng famille-rose... Oh, but this is... a signed edition Yuan Shikai silver dollar!" Mr. Wang exclaimed in surprise as he approached Fang Bo's table, lifting the set of Yuan Shikai silver dollars and examining them closely. Without waiting for Fang Bo's permission, he picked up the set and, after a thorough inspection, declared that they were indeed signed edition Yuan Shikai silver dollars. It seemed Mr. Wang was quite knowledgeable about these items.
Mr. Wang held the set of Yuan Shikai silver dollars in his hands, examining them closely. His expression gradually relaxed, and by the end, he was positively thrilled.
After a while, Mr. Wang placed the set of Yuan Shikai silver dollars back on the table, then took a deep breath and turned to Fang Bo, saying, "This trip was truly worth it. To encounter such a wonderful surprise right from the start! Fang Bo, I must admit I underestimated you before. I didn't expect your shop to be a treasure trove of such caliber!"
Mr. Wang looked at Fang Bo earnestly, and his eyes now held a hint of respect, indicating that he now considered Fang Bo a senior figure in the world of collectors.