Hong Kong banknotes
Encyclopedia
The issue of banknotes of the Hong Kong dollar is governed in the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong
by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
(HKMA), the governmental currency board of Hong Kong. Under licence from the HKMA, three commercial bank
s issue their own banknotes for general circulation in the region. Notes are also issued by the HKMA itself.
In most countries of the world the issue of banknotes is handled exclusively by a single central bank
or government. The arrangements in Hong Kong are unusual but not unique, as a comparable system is used in the United Kingdom
, where eight banks issue banknotes (See Banknotes of the pound sterling).
Hong Kong banknotes in everyday circulation are $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000.
The total value of banknotes in circulation in Hong Kong can be found in the HKMA Monthly Statistical Bulletin and the HKMA Annual Report.
In the 1860s the Oriental Bank, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China
and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Company began issuing notes. Denominations issued in the 1860s and 1870s included 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 dollars. These notes were not accepted by the Treasury for payment of government dues and tax
es, although they were accepted for use by merchants. 25-dollar notes did not survive beyond the end of the 19th century, whilst the 1-dollar notes (issued only by the HSBC) were issued until 1935.
Under the Currency Ordinance of 1935, banknotes in denominations of 5 dollars and above issued by the three authorised local banks (the Mercantile Bank of India, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) were all declared legal tender. The government took over production of 1-dollar notes. In 1941, the government introduced notes for 1, 5 and 10 cents due to the difficulty of transporting coins to Hong Kong caused by the Second World War
(a shipment of 1941 1 cent coins was sunk, making this unissued coin very rare). Just before the Japan
ese occupation, an emergency issue of 1-dollar notes was made consisting of overprinted Bank of China 5-yuan
notes.
In 1945, paper money production resumed essentially unaltered from before the war, with the government issuing notes of 1, 5 and 10 cents and 1 dollar, and the three banks issuing notes of 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 dollars. 1-dollar notes were replaced by coins in 1960, with only the 1-cent note issued by the government after 1965.
In 1975, the 5-dollar notes were replaced by a coin, whilst 1000-dollar notes were introduced in 1977. The Mercantile Bank was absorbed by HSBC in 1978 and ceased issuing notes. In 1985, 20-dollar notes were introduced, whilst, in 1993, a 10-dollar coin was introduced and the banks stopped issuing 10-dollar notes. In 1994, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
(HKMA), gave authority to the Bank of China
to issue notes.
Between 1994 to 2002 an attempt was made to replace privately issued 10-dollar notes with coins
issued by the government. In response to public demand for the continuation of a $10 note, the HKMA issued its own ten-dollar notes. Ten-dollar banknotes are currently the only denomination issued by the HKMA, having acquired the note printing plant at Tai Po
from the De La Rue
Group of the UK on behalf of the Government. The older (green) 10-dollar banknotes previously issued by two commercial banks are still circulating and remain legal tender
, although they are being phased out since September 2005. These are popular for lai see and are noticeably scarce in the run up to Chinese New Year
.
The 1-cent note issued by the Government was demonetised and ceased to be legal tender on 1 October 1995.
A commemorative polymer ten-dollar note was issued in July 2007 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. The new note will circulate along with other 10-dollar issues for a trial period of two years, though the initial batch released was largely snapped up by collectors.
The Government, through the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, authorises three commercial banks to issue currency notes in Hong Kong:
Authorisation is accompanied by a set of terms and conditions agreed on between the Government and the three note-issuing banks. Banknotes are issued by the three banks, or redeemed, against payment to, or from, the Government Exchange Fund in US dollars, at a specified rate of US$1 to HK$7.80 under the Linked Exchange Rate system. Banknotes issued by the three commercial banks are printed in Hong Kong by Hong Kong Note Printing Limited
.
from the De La Rue
Group of the United Kingdom
on behalf of the Government. The plant has been operating under the name of HKNPL since then. The acquisition of the plant enables the Government, through the HKMA, to be directly involved in the production of Hong Kong currency notes, which is in line with the responsibilities conferred upon the Government under the Legal Tender Notes Issue Ordinance and the Basic Law. In March 1997, the Government sold 15 per cent of its shareholding in HKNPL to the China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation
, a People's Republic of China
state-owned enterprise. In October 1997, the Government sold 10 per cent of HKNPL issued shares to each of the three note-issuing banks. The Government continues to exercise management control and maintains a majority stake in HKNPL, with the Chief Executive of the HKMA as the Chairman of the company.
Recently the bank has acquired polymer banknote
technology to print the ten-dollar banknote for a trial period of two years.
.
In September 2009, Standard Chartered Bank
issued the world's first 150-dollar denomination banknote. Approximately 750,000 notes were sold at above face value, in various combinations and presentations, as a commemorative charity issue. Although legal tender, the notes are unlikely to enter circulation, due to their rarity and expected higher re-sale value.
1845-1884, the AGRA & Masterman's Bank Limited 1862-1866, The Asiatic Banking Corporation 1862-1866 and The Bank of Hindustan, China & Japan 1862-1966. All issued some or all of the denominations above.
Those no longer issued include the 1, 5, and 10 cent notes along with the 1, 5, and 25 dollar notes.
In pursuance to section 103 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap 200 of Laws of Hong Kong), anyone who wants to reproduce the whole or any part of any Hong Kong currency note for any purpose in any form must apply in writing to the Monetary Authority for approval. No reproduced images should be submitted with the application because such an action would already amount to a breach of section 103 of the Crimes Ordinance. It is a criminal offence under the Crimes Ordinance to manufacture or knowingly pass, tender or possess a counterfeit banknote. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.
Adopted from the official website of Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Permission granted.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority or HKMA is Hong Kong's central banking institution . It is a government authority founded on 1 April 1993 via the consolidation of "Office of the Exchange Fund" and the "Office of the Commissioner of Banking"...
(HKMA), the governmental currency board of Hong Kong. Under licence from the HKMA, three commercial bank
Commercial bank
After the implementation of the Glass–Steagall Act, the U.S. Congress required that banks engage only in banking activities, whereas investment banks were limited to capital market activities. As the two no longer have to be under separate ownership under U.S...
s issue their own banknotes for general circulation in the region. Notes are also issued by the HKMA itself.
In most countries of the world the issue of banknotes is handled exclusively by a single central bank
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
or government. The arrangements in Hong Kong are unusual but not unique, as a comparable system is used in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where eight banks issue banknotes (See Banknotes of the pound sterling).
Hong Kong banknotes in everyday circulation are $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000.
The total value of banknotes in circulation in Hong Kong can be found in the HKMA Monthly Statistical Bulletin and the HKMA Annual Report.
History
Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China
The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China was a bank founded in London in 1851/1853 by Scotsman James Wilson following the grant of a Royal Charter from Queen Victoria. It opened its first branches in 1858 in Calcutta and Bombay and then in 1863 in Karachi and Shanghai...
and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Company began issuing notes. Denominations issued in the 1860s and 1870s included 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 dollars. These notes were not accepted by the Treasury for payment of government dues and tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es, although they were accepted for use by merchants. 25-dollar notes did not survive beyond the end of the 19th century, whilst the 1-dollar notes (issued only by the HSBC) were issued until 1935.
Under the Currency Ordinance of 1935, banknotes in denominations of 5 dollars and above issued by the three authorised local banks (the Mercantile Bank of India, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China and the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) were all declared legal tender. The government took over production of 1-dollar notes. In 1941, the government introduced notes for 1, 5 and 10 cents due to the difficulty of transporting coins to Hong Kong caused by the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(a shipment of 1941 1 cent coins was sunk, making this unissued coin very rare). Just before the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese occupation, an emergency issue of 1-dollar notes was made consisting of overprinted Bank of China 5-yuan
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
notes.
In 1945, paper money production resumed essentially unaltered from before the war, with the government issuing notes of 1, 5 and 10 cents and 1 dollar, and the three banks issuing notes of 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 dollars. 1-dollar notes were replaced by coins in 1960, with only the 1-cent note issued by the government after 1965.
In 1975, the 5-dollar notes were replaced by a coin, whilst 1000-dollar notes were introduced in 1977. The Mercantile Bank was absorbed by HSBC in 1978 and ceased issuing notes. In 1985, 20-dollar notes were introduced, whilst, in 1993, a 10-dollar coin was introduced and the banks stopped issuing 10-dollar notes. In 1994, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority or HKMA is Hong Kong's central banking institution . It is a government authority founded on 1 April 1993 via the consolidation of "Office of the Exchange Fund" and the "Office of the Commissioner of Banking"...
(HKMA), gave authority to the Bank of China
Bank of China
Bank of China Limited is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1912 by the Government of the Republic of China, to replace the Government Bank of Imperial China. It is the oldest bank in China...
to issue notes.
Between 1994 to 2002 an attempt was made to replace privately issued 10-dollar notes with coins
Hong Kong ten-dollar coin
The ten dollar coin is the highest circulation coin issued in Hong Kong, it circulates alongside the ten dollar banknote. It was issue for circulation in 1994 to replace the then banknotes, but the coin was not minted after 1997 and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority chose instead to reissue...
issued by the government. In response to public demand for the continuation of a $10 note, the HKMA issued its own ten-dollar notes. Ten-dollar banknotes are currently the only denomination issued by the HKMA, having acquired the note printing plant at Tai Po
Tai Po
Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui and the Tai Wo Town on the other side of the Lam Tsuen River, near the old Tai Po Market Station of the...
from the De La Rue
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
Group of the UK on behalf of the Government. The older (green) 10-dollar banknotes previously issued by two commercial banks are still circulating and remain legal tender
Legal tender
Legal tender is a medium of payment allowed by law or recognized by a legal system to be valid for meeting a financial obligation. Paper currency is a common form of legal tender in many countries....
, although they are being phased out since September 2005. These are popular for lai see and are noticeably scarce in the run up to Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
.
The 1-cent note issued by the Government was demonetised and ceased to be legal tender on 1 October 1995.
A commemorative polymer ten-dollar note was issued in July 2007 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. The new note will circulate along with other 10-dollar issues for a trial period of two years, though the initial batch released was largely snapped up by collectors.
Note-issuing banks
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited;
- the Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) LimitedStandard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong)Standard Chartered Bank Limited is a licensed bank incorporated in Hong Kong, part of Standard Chartered Bank...
; and - the Bank of China (Hong Kong) LimitedBank of China (Hong Kong)Bank of China Limited is the second-largest commercial banking group in Hong Kong in terms of assets and customer deposits, with more than 300 branches in Hong Kong. It was established on 1 October 2001 from a merger of 12 subsidiaries and associates of the Bank of China in Hong Kong, and listed...
.
Authorisation is accompanied by a set of terms and conditions agreed on between the Government and the three note-issuing banks. Banknotes are issued by the three banks, or redeemed, against payment to, or from, the Government Exchange Fund in US dollars, at a specified rate of US$1 to HK$7.80 under the Linked Exchange Rate system. Banknotes issued by the three commercial banks are printed in Hong Kong by Hong Kong Note Printing Limited
Hong Kong Note Printing Limited
Hong Kong Note Printing Limited prints the bank notes of all the three note-issuing banks in Hong Kong.The banknote printing plant was founded in 1984 by Thomas De La Rue in Tai Po. In April 1996, the Hong Kong Government purchased the plant through the Exchange Fund, and operated it under the...
.
Note printing
In April 1996, the HKMA acquired the note printing plant at Tai PoTai Po
Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui and the Tai Wo Town on the other side of the Lam Tsuen River, near the old Tai Po Market Station of the...
from the De La Rue
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
Group of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on behalf of the Government. The plant has been operating under the name of HKNPL since then. The acquisition of the plant enables the Government, through the HKMA, to be directly involved in the production of Hong Kong currency notes, which is in line with the responsibilities conferred upon the Government under the Legal Tender Notes Issue Ordinance and the Basic Law. In March 1997, the Government sold 15 per cent of its shareholding in HKNPL to the China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation
China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation
China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation , is a state-owned corporation which carries out the minting of all renminbi coins and printing of renminbi banknotes for the People's Republic of China headquartered in Beijing....
, a People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
state-owned enterprise. In October 1997, the Government sold 10 per cent of HKNPL issued shares to each of the three note-issuing banks. The Government continues to exercise management control and maintains a majority stake in HKNPL, with the Chief Executive of the HKMA as the Chairman of the company.
Recently the bank has acquired polymer banknote
Polymer banknote
Polymer banknotes were developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia , Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and The University of Melbourne and were first issued as currency in Australia in 1988. These banknotes are made from the polymer biaxially-oriented polypropylene ...
technology to print the ten-dollar banknote for a trial period of two years.
Banknotes currently in circulation
The HKMA issues the 10-dollar note and the other three banks issue denominations of 20 (blue), 50 (green), 100 (red), 500 (brown) and 1000 (gold)dollars.
In September 2009, Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong)
Standard Chartered Bank Limited is a licensed bank incorporated in Hong Kong, part of Standard Chartered Bank...
issued the world's first 150-dollar denomination banknote. Approximately 750,000 notes were sold at above face value, in various combinations and presentations, as a commemorative charity issue. Although legal tender, the notes are unlikely to enter circulation, due to their rarity and expected higher re-sale value.
| The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation series | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Landmark for design | Mascot for design | ||
| $20 | Victoria Peak Victoria Peak Victoria Peak is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. The mountain is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island... ; Peak Tram Peak Tram The Peak Tramway is a funicular railway in Hong Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. Running from Central district to Victoria Peak via the Mid-Levels, it provides the most direct route and offers good views over the harbour and skyscrapers of... |
Lion Lion The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger... |
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| $50 | Po Lin Temple | Lion | ||
| $100 | Lantau Link Lantau Link The Lantau Link, formerly known as the Lantau Fixed Crossing, is a series of infrastructures linking Hong Kong International Airport to the urban areas in Hong Kong. It was officially opened on 27 April 1997, and it opened to traffic on 22 May the same year.-Infrastructure:The Lantau Link is 3.5 km... :Tsing Ma Bridge Tsing Ma Bridge The Tsing Ma Bridge is a bridge in Hong Kong. It is the world's seventh-longest span suspension bridge, and was the second longest at time of completion. The bridge was named after two of the islands at its ends, namely Tsing Yi and Ma Wan . It has two decks and carries both road and rail... |
Lion | ||
| $500 | Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial... |
Lion | ||
| $1000 | Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial... (New wing); Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent... |
Lion | ||
| Bank of China (Hong Kong) Bank of China (Hong Kong) Bank of China Limited is the second-largest commercial banking group in Hong Kong in terms of assets and customer deposits, with more than 300 branches in Hong Kong. It was established on 1 October 2001 from a merger of 12 subsidiaries and associates of the Bank of China in Hong Kong, and listed... series |
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| $20 | Peak Tower Peak Tower The Peak Tower is a leisure and shopping complex located at Victoria Gap, near the summit of Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It also houses the upper terminal of the Peak Tram. Both the Peak Tower and the Peak Tram are owned by the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels group, the owner of... |
Bank of China Tower | ||
| $50 | Tsim Sha Tsui Tsim Sha Tsui Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui... Waterfront: Hong Kong Cultural Center and Space Museum Hong Kong Space Museum The Hong Kong Space Museum is a museum of astronomy and space science in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government.-History:... |
Bank of China Tower | ||
| $100 | Lantau Link:Tsing Ma Bridge | Bank of China Tower | ||
| $500 | Hong Kong International Airport | Bank of China Tower | ||
| $1000 | Wan Chai Wan Chai Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called... Waterfront: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial... and Central Plaza Central Plaza, Hong Kong Central Plaza is the third tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong. With a height of 374 m , Central Plaza is only surpassed by 2 IFC in Central and the ICC in West Kowloon. The building is located at 18 Harbour Road, in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island... |
Bank of China Tower | ||
| Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Standard Chartered Bank Limited is a licensed bank incorporated in Hong Kong, part of Standard Chartered Bank... series |
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| $20 | Hong Kong 1850s picture | Chinese dragon headed carp | ||
| $50 | Hong Kong 1890s picture | Chinese dragon headed turtle Turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield... |
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| $100 | Hong Kong 1930s picture | Qilin Qilin The Qilin is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a wise sage or an illustrious ruler. It is a good omen that brings rui . It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over... |
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| $500 | Hong Kong 1970s picture | Fenghuang Fenghuang Fenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be... |
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| $1000 | Hong Kong 2000s picture | Chinese dragon | ||
| Government of Hong Kong Government of Hong Kong The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR... series |
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| $10 | Geometric design | Horse Horse The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today... |
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2010 new series
| Value | Landmark for design | Mascot for design | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation series | ||||
| $20 | Mid-Autumn Festival Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival , also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou... |
Lion and the HSBC Building | ||
| $50 | Spring Lantern Festival Lantern Festival The Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day... |
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| $100 | HKSAR Establishment Day Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day is celebrated every 1 July, in Hong Kong since 1997. The holiday commemorates the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special... |
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| $500 | Lunar New Year Chinese New Year Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration... |
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| $1000 | Dragon Boat Festival | |||
| Bank of China (Hong Kong) Bank of China (Hong Kong) Bank of China Limited is the second-largest commercial banking group in Hong Kong in terms of assets and customer deposits, with more than 300 branches in Hong Kong. It was established on 1 October 2001 from a merger of 12 subsidiaries and associates of the Bank of China in Hong Kong, and listed... series |
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| $20 | Repulse Bay Repulse Bay Repulse Bay is a bay in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, located in the Southern District, Hong Kong.-Geography:Repulse Bay is located in the south of Hong Kong Island, to the east of Deep Water Bay and to the west of Middle Bay and South Bay... |
Bank of China Tower | ||
| $50 | Tung Ping Chau Ping Chau Ping Chau is an island in Hong Kong. It is also known as Tung Ping Chau . Tung is prepended to the name so as to avoid possible confusion with Peng Chau, another island in Hong Kong with an identically pronounced name in the Cantonese language... |
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| $100 | Lion Rock Lion Rock Lion Rock, or less formally Lion Rock Hill, is a famous hill in Hong Kong. It is located between Kowloon Tong in Kowloon and Tai Wai in the New Territories, and is 495 metres high... |
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| $500 | High Island Reservoir High Island Reservoir The High Island Reservoir , located in the far south eastern part of the Sai Kung Peninsula, was opened in 1978 helping to alleviate water shortage problems in Hong Kong. Its water capacity is approximately 273 million cubic metres... |
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| $1000 | Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent... |
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| Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Standard Chartered Bank Limited is a licensed bank incorporated in Hong Kong, part of Standard Chartered Bank... series |
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| $20 | Heritage and technology:Abacus Abacus The abacus, also called a counting frame, is a calculating tool used primarily in parts of Asia for performing arithmetic processes. Today, abaci are often constructed as a bamboo frame with beads sliding on wires, but originally they were beans or stones moved in grooves in sand or on tablets of... and binary code Binary code A binary code is a way of representing text or computer processor instructions by the use of the binary number system's two-binary digits 0 and 1. This is accomplished by assigning a bit string to each particular symbol or instruction... |
Chinese dragon headed carp | ||
| $50 | Heritage and technology:Chinese combination lock Combination lock A combination lock is a type of lock in which a sequence of numbers or symbols is used to open the lock. The sequence may be entered using a single rotating dial which interacts with several discs or cams, by using a set of several rotating discs with inscribed numerals which directly interact with... and vault Bank vault A bank vault is a secure space where money, valuables, records, and documents can be stored. It is intended to protect their contents from theft, unauthorized use, fire, natural disasters, and other threats, just like a safe... |
Chinese dragon headed turtle Turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield... |
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| $100 | Heritage and technology:Sung Song Dynasty The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a... script seal and printed circuit Printed circuit board A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring... |
Qilin Qilin The Qilin is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a wise sage or an illustrious ruler. It is a good omen that brings rui . It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over... |
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| $500 | Heritage and technology:Traditional face chart and biometrics Biometrics Biometrics As Jain & Ross point out, "the term biometric authentication is perhaps more appropriate than biometrics since the latter has been historically used in the field of statistics to refer to the analysis of biological data [36]" . consists of methods... |
Fenghuang Fenghuang Fenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the females Huang. In modern times, however, such a distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that the bird can be... |
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| $1000 | Heritage and technology:Tang Dynasty Tang Dynasty The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire... coin and smart chip Smart card A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile... |
Chinese dragon | ||
Historical denominations and issuers of Hong Kong banknotes
Previous issuers of banknotes were The Mercantile Bank Limited 1853-1984, The National Bank of China 1891-1911, Oriental Bank CorporationOriental Bank Corporation
The Oriental Bank Corporation was a bank in India in the 19th century. It was also the first bank in Hong Kong and the first bank to issue banknotes in Hong Kong....
1845-1884, the AGRA & Masterman's Bank Limited 1862-1866, The Asiatic Banking Corporation 1862-1866 and The Bank of Hindustan, China & Japan 1862-1966. All issued some or all of the denominations above.
Those no longer issued include the 1, 5, and 10 cent notes along with the 1, 5, and 25 dollar notes.
Security features
The following security features are incorporated into genuine Hong Kong banknotes:- Paper: The banknote paper is made of 100% cotton fibreCottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, which does not fluoresceFluorescenceFluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation of a different wavelength. It is a form of luminescence. In most cases, emitted light has a longer wavelength, and therefore lower energy, than the absorbed radiation...
under ultraviolet lightUltravioletUltraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
.
- Polymer: The ten-dollar banknotes are made of polymer, and have a transparent panel.
- Watermarks: The watermarks are incorporated during the paper manufacturing process. They can be viewed equally well from either side of the note. The images are multi-toned and sharp, and do not show up when placed under ultraviolet light.
- Security thread: A straight metal thread is embedded in the note. It can be viewed equally clearly from either side of the note.
- See-through feature: When the note is held up to the light, the specially designed colour patterns printed on the front and back will be seen to be exactly aligned with each other.
- Intaglio printing: The main images of the notes are printed by an intaglio printing processIntaglio (printmaking)Intaglio is a family of printmaking techniques in which the image is incised into a surface, known as the matrix or plate, and the incised line or area holds the ink. Normally, copper or zinc plates are used as a surface, and the incisions are created by etching, engraving, drypoint, aquatint or...
which deposits a large quantity of ink on the paper thus giving the note an embossed feel. The fine lines of these images are clear and sharp.
In pursuance to section 103 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap 200 of Laws of Hong Kong), anyone who wants to reproduce the whole or any part of any Hong Kong currency note for any purpose in any form must apply in writing to the Monetary Authority for approval. No reproduced images should be submitted with the application because such an action would already amount to a breach of section 103 of the Crimes Ordinance. It is a criminal offence under the Crimes Ordinance to manufacture or knowingly pass, tender or possess a counterfeit banknote. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.
Adopted from the official website of Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Permission granted.