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"no borrowed scans here nor i cut and pasted from other web sites. all notes displaying here are mine"



09 February 2024

...China - 20 Yuan 龙(龍)年 Commemorative Year of the Dragon 2024

 中华人民共和国
(中華人民共和國)
(Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó)
(People's Republic of China)

中国人民银行 (中國人民銀行)
(Zhōngguó Rénmín Yínháng / People's Bank of China)
Currency : Renminbi 人民币 (CNY)
 
龙()🐉
10 February 2024 to 28 January 2025 (353 days)
新的一年里, 祝福您 - 一帆风順; 二龙腾飞; 三羊开泰; 四季平安; 五福临门; 六六大順; 七星高照; 八方来财; 九九同心; 十全十美; 百事亨通; 千事吉祥, 和 万事如意。 
 
The Year of the Loong! The last time a dragon banknote design was issued in modern China was in 2000. In that year, China released a commemorative 100 yuan polymer note to celebrate the Millennium year 2000, and also the Year of the Dragon龙(). The design for the 2000 note on the front featured an Imperial Dragon with a fireball. In December 2023, the bank announced the release of a twenty yuan 贰拾圓 commemorative note to celebrate Chinese Zodiac 2024 The Year of the Dragon. This banknote also features an Imperial Dragon on the front. A total of 100 million pieces have been issued.
 
The Year of the Dragon celebration begins on 10.02.2024 and will end on 28.01.2025. It is reported that the Chinese central bank intends to release a full 12 cycle of the Chinese Zodiac animals series with the first note for the Dragon year. The remaining eleven notes will be progressively issued over the next 11 years with one zodiac animal each, just like those issued by the two commercial banks in Macau from 2012 to 2023.
 
In the 12 Chinese Zodiacs, the Dragon is positioned 5th in the animal signs cycle. Among the 12 animals, the Dragon is the most powerful creature, and it symbolises power, good luck, strength and health. It is also a fact that more babies are usually being born during the year of the Dragon, than any other animal signs. Well, at least this is according to the Chinese. If you were born in the Year of the Dragon, get yourself this banknote as a souvenir. You would be either 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 or 84 years old or even older.
 
Online applications for pre-orders for these notes were opened from 03.01.2024 and each is restricted to 20 pieces per application at face value. If the entire prints were up for grabs, and with a population of 1.4 billion people, this equates to 5,000,000 applicants, assuming each applicant submitted for 20 pieces of notes each. Of course, this was not the case. Due to high demand, several banks' websites were inaccessible and causing issues such as lag, delay in delivery of security verification codes and others.  These notes were then released to the public on 09.01.2024. It would be fair to say that these new notes are expected to be used as red package (hong pao/紅包) for the Chinese New Year. No doubt many will keep them as souvenirs as the New Year Dragon notes are always popular among the Chinese people. I am sure many of these notes will end up as 'hong pao' too. In addition to this banknote, 120 million pieces of 10 yuan bimetallic copper alloy were also released.
 
It should be noted that whilst this note was issued as a commemorative banknote, there is nothing printed on the note to indicate this, nor any wordings or logo, except the single letter prefix of 'J'. The letter 'J' prefix has been used for all commemorative notes issued since the 2000 Year of the Dragon and Millennium polymer note. This note is printed in a vertical format on both front and back, and like the 2000 commemorative note, it is also printed on polymer substrate material. The colours selected for this note are predominantly red and reddish, as these are the auspicious colours to the Chinese. Like all modern Chinese banknotes there are no signatures printed, but only the usual square Central Bank seal. 

This is the 7th commemorative banknote issued by the People's Bank of China and the second commemorative banknote for the Year of the Loong. Previous commemorative issues were - 

1999 - 50 yuan 50th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Revolution 1949-1999;
2000 - 100 yuan Year of the Dragon/Millennium polymer;
2008 - 10 yuan 2008 XXIX Beijing Summer Olympics;
2015 - 100 yuan Aerospace and Science Technology;
2022 - 20 yuan 2022 XXIV Beijing Winter Olympics;
2022 - 20 yuan 2022 XXIV Beijing Winter Olympic polymer;
2024 - 20 yuan Year of the Dragon polymer.

Twenty Yuan
Imperial dragon

Front - A Chinese Imperial writhing dragon (with five claws) in green and gold colours. The writhing dragon is facing east. Unlike the 2000 100 yuan note, this one did not have the fireball printed in the design. The dragon is surrounded by Chinese stylised  clouds. The Coat of Arms of China is printed on the top left-hand corner. At the bottom is an ancient Chinese writing of 'Fu' (福/Luck), and is written/designed in such a way that it can be seen on either side of the note.

Signature - N/A
Quantity - 100 million pieces
Dimensions - 71mm x 146mm

Back - Three children playing a lantern dance together, with one holding a paper dragon lantern. Another little girl is holding a resemblance of a ball (fireball) lantern and a little boy is holding a paper drum shaped lantern with his left hand. The background depicts Beijing quadrangle courtyards with tree surroundings. This note looks a bit like those Chinese red packets used during new years.

Children playing a lantern dance

rat  ox  tiger  rabbit  DRAGON  snake  horse  goat  monkey  rooster  dog  pig
 
...Facts; -
Why does Chinese New Year not fall on the first of January or on a fixed day, like the Gregorian calendar? Chinese New Year is based on the lunisolar calendar. Like the Gregorian calendar, there are also 12 months in a year. However, the number of days in a month is based on the cycle of the Moon and that can vary between 29 and 30 days and for a normal year, it can be 353, 354 or 355 days. In the event of a leap year, a full month is added to the calendar. This is usually added every three years. In the past 19 years, an extra month was added seven times. For a leap year, the total number of days in a year is between 383 to 385 days.
 
The Chinese New Year is celebrated on the second new moon after the Winter Solstice (冬至 Dongzhi festival) on December 21 (22nd or 23rd) and the Chinese New Year can fall between the fourth week of January and on the last week of February on the Gregorian Calendar. I do not believe any Chinese New Year has ever come before January 21st or later that February 20th.

25 December 2023

...Hong Kong, HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation - $100 2022 Reprint

 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區
(Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China)
 
香港上海滙豐銀行有限公司
(The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited - HSBC)
Currency - Dollar (HKD)
 
I believe this is the only note issued with the date of 01.01.2022. The reprints for the other denominations - $20, $50, $500 and $1000 were issued in 2010. The $100 note was not included in the 2020 reprints. The design for this note is the same as the 2018 serials but with two new signatures, and instead of the signature of the Chief Executive, this note is signed by the Co-Chief Executives.

One Hundred Dollars
Lion Head - Stitt

The design on the front for this note is the same as the note first issued in 2018. The nickname for this lion is called Stitt. The lion sculptures (Stitt and Stephen) have been a distinctive landmark in their own right in Hong Kong, Shanghai and London offices as well. The nicknames were named after two former employees of the bank. To the local in Hong Kong, HSBC is also sometime referred to as the Lion Bank 獅子銀行, because of the two lion sculptures. The silhouette of the bank's head office building is printed to the left of the Lion's head.
 
On the top right hand corner, this note is printed with a dynamic shimmering pattern (Chinese musical instrument - ruan) in green and when the note is tilted, a ring appearing in a lighter green colour moves around as well. A Windowed Metallic Thread is also incorporated on the note, and when the note is tilted, the large and small rings on the metallic thread move correspondingly.
 
Out of the three commercial banks in Hong Kong, HSBC has the highest banknotes circulating in the territory, representing around 56% of the total banknotes in Hong Kong.
 
Signatures - Co-Chief Executives
David Liao (07.06.2021-)
Surendranath Ravi Rosha (07.06.2021-)
 Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 100
Dimensions - 153.5mm x 77mm
 
Back - a couple performing Cantonese Opera and in the background is the image of a Chinese pavilion and a garden bridge.
 
Cantonese Opera actors

16 December 2023

...South Korea - 2006-2009 Series All First Prefix AA-A

대한민국
(Republic of Korea)

한국은행
(Bank of Korea)
Currency - Won (KRW)

A complete set of five banknotes first introduced in 2006. This series was introduced with enhanced security features such as see-through register braille dots for the visually impaired, windowed security thread, latent image, colour-shifting ink, SPAS, hologram, watermark bar and others. This series was introduced due to growing concern on counterfeited/forged banknotes circulating in the economy. The series first started with the note of 5000 won, and in 2007, the bank released the notes of 1000 and 10000 won, and in 2009, it introduced the 50000 won for the first time to complete the series. 
 
The bank also originally intended to introduce the 100000 won note as well, but later cancelled the idea when the planned design for the note with the image of the map of Korea did not include the disputed Dokdo islands (Laincourt rocks) located in the Sea of Japan.
 
Like all previous banknotes of South Korea, there are no signatures printed on the notes. Instead, they are printed with an official square seal of the Bank of Korea. The Hangul writing on the seal reads as follows - 한국은행 총재 (Governor of the Bank of Korea).

Here, I have posted a full set of notes all printed with AA-A first prefix. All notes are printed by KOMSCO (Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation). KOMSCO is a state owned corporation which is responsible for printing banknotes and minting coins in South Korea, and other government documents. It's headquarters are located in Daejeon in the center east of South Korea.


One Thousand Won
Yi Hwang (b.1501-1570)
 
Front - Portrait of Toegye Yi Hwang (b.1501-1570). Yi Hwang was a philosopher, writer and Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). In the middle is the vignette of a building called Myumgryungang, and branches from a Mume tree.
 
This is the Third Series of the 1000 won note.
 
Watermark - Toegye Yi Hwang and electrotype 1000
Release date - 22.01.2007
Dimensions - 137mm x 69mm
 
Back - Ancient painting - Gaesang junggeodo.

Gaesang junggeodo painting
 
Five Thousand Won
Yulgok Yi I (b.1536-1584)
 
Front - Portrait of Yulgok Yi I (b.1536-1584). Yi I was a philosopher, writer and a Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). His art name is Yulgok. He was also a politician during his lifetime. He is also the son of Shin Siamdang (b.1504-1551), as per the 50000 won below.In the middle is the vignette of a building called (Ojukheon (Mongryoungsil), and at the back of the building are black bamboos called Ojuk.

This is the Fifth Series of 5000 won note.

Watermark - Yulgok Yi I and electrotype 5000
Release date - 02.01.2006
Dimensions - 143mm x 69mm
 
Back - Painting of Insects and Plants (watermelons and cockscombs)
 
Painting of Insects and Plants
 
Ten Thousand Won
King Sejong the Great (b.1397-1450)
 
Front - Portrait of King Sejong the Great (b.1397-1450). King Sejong was the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). His birth name was Yi Do, and he reigned from 1418 to 1450 when he died at the age of 52 years old. He is regarded as one of the greatest leaders in Korean history. In the middle is the vignette of a painting called Ilwolohbongdo (the Sun and the Moon, Five Mountain Peaks), and Yongbiacheonga (Songs of Flying Dragons).

This is the Sixth Series of 10000 won note.

Watermark - King Sejong the Great and electrotype 10000
Release date - 22.01.2007
Dimensions - 149mm x 69mm
 
Back - A Celestial globe (part of an armillary sphere).

A Celestial globe
 
Fifty Thousand Won
Shin Siamdang (b.1504-1551)
 
Front - Portrait of Shin Siamdang. She was a respected Korean artist, writer, calligraphist, and poet. She was born in 1504 in Ojukheon (Gangneung) during the Joseon period (1392-1897), and died in 1551 aged 46. Her birth name was Shin In-seon. Shin Siamdang was also the mother of Confucian Scholar Yulgok Yi Yi (Yi I). In the middle is her famous art pieces of ''Mukpododo'' (Painting of Grapes in Ink), and the eggplant section from her ''Chockungdo'' (Painting of Insects and Plants).
 
This is the First Series of the 50000 won note.

Watermark - Shin Siamdang and electrotype 5 in a pentagon shape
Release date - 23.06.2009
Dimensions - 155.5mm x 68.5mm

Back - On the back, the design is printed in a vertical format. The design features an art works of Eo Mong-ryong's ''Walmaedo'' and Lee Jeong's ''Poongjookdo'' (bamboo and a plum tree).

Paintings of ''Walmaedo'' and ''Poongjookdo''

14 December 2023

...Hong Kong, Bank of China - 2021 Reprints Of $20, $50 And $100

 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區
(Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China)

中國銀行(香港)有限公司
(Bank of China [Hong Kong] Limited)
Currency - Dollar (HKD) 
 
Here are the three reprints notes of $20, $50 and $100 all dated 01.01.2021. It is believed that these are the only three notes issued in the year 2021. The two notes of $500 and $1000 were issued in 2020. The designs for all these three notes are the same as the first 2018 series, but with new dates and new signatures.
 
Signature - Sun Yu 孫煜 (Chief Executive since 23.12.2020)

The designs on the front for both the notes are the same as the 2018 series, featuring the Bank Of China (Hong Kong branch) head office tower located at 1 Garden Road Central Hong Kong. Like all the 2018 first series, the theme for the notes on the front are the same. Next to the Bank of China tower is the bauhinia flower. On the top right hand corner, each note is printed with a dynamic shimmering pattern in green and when the note is tilted, a ring appearing in a lighter green colour moves around as well. The dynamic shimmering patterns on the notes are - $20 (two leaves), $50 (butterfly), $100 (musical instrument - ruan). A Windowed Metallic Thread is also incorporated on the note, and when the note is tilted, the large and small rings on the metallic thread move correspondingly.
 
The theme on the back of each note for all three commercial banks are the same, albeit the designs are not the same.
 
Twenty Dollars
Bank of China Tower

Back - A Chinese teapot with two cups. In the background are two bamboo steamers (zhenglong) with har gao and siew mai. Four shapes of tea leaves are also printed in the background.
 
Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 20
Dimensions - 144.5mm x 72mm
 
A Chinese teapot with two cups
 
Fifty Dollars
Bank of China Tower

Back - A butterfly feeding on flowers.

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 50 
Dimensions - 149mm x 75mm
 
Butterfly
 
One Hundred Dollars
Bank of China Tower

Back - A female Cantonese Opera performer with a Chinese folding a fan, and in the background is the image of the Xiqu Centre building.

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 100
Dimensions -154mm x 77mm
 
A female Cantonese Opera performer
 

04 December 2023

...Hong Kong, Stardard Chartered Bank - 2020 Reprints Full Set of Five Notes

中華人民共和國香港特別行政區
(Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China)
 
渣打銀行(香港)有限公司
(Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited)
Currency - Dollar (HKD) 
 
Below is a full set of five banknotes all printed with the dates of 01.01.2020. These are the first reprints of the 2018 series, and based on my understanding, these are the only reprints in full set since 2018. The designs are the same as the 2018 series, but with new dates and new signatures.

Twenty Dollars
Standard Chartered Bank Head Office

Front - The designs on the front for all the notes are almost the same with the bank's main headquarter office in Hong Kong (Des Voeux, Central). On the top right hand corner, each note is printed with a dynamic shimmering pattern in green and when the note is tilted, a ring appearing in a lighter green colour moves around as well. The dynamic shimmering patterns on the notes are - $20 (two leaves), $50 (butterfly), $100 (musical instrument - ruan), $500 (three pentagon objects) and $1000 (flower). A Windowed Metallic Thread is also incorporated on the note, and when the note is tilted, the large and small rings on the metallic thread move correspondingly.
 
Out of the three commercial banks in Hong Kong, only Standard Chartered Bank has issued a full set with the same dates since 2018. Standard Chartered Bank's banknotes only represent around 10.1% of the total banknotes circulating in Hong Kong, much lower than those issued by The HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Bank of China. In view of low circulation, it is not sure if the quantity printed is the same as the two other banks. If this is the case, one would assume that collector values on the Standard Chartered Bank notes would appreciate much faster than the HongKong and Shanghai Bank and the Bank of China. So far, I do not see this happening. Perhaps, they are just the same among of SCB's banknotes in dealers/collectors' hands as those of HSBC and BoC too.

The theme on the back of each note for all three banks are the same, albeit the designs are not the same.
 
 Back - A smiling waiter filling up a tea pot with hot water with a family of three enjoying the yum cha. Chinese lanterns as decorating objects hanging in the restaurant.
 
Signatures
Chief Financial Officer - Hau Tee Mann (since April 2017)
Chief Executive - Huen Wai Yi Mary (since March 2017)
Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 20
Dimensions - 144.5mm x 72mm 
 
Family having yum cha
  
Fifty Dollars 
Standard Chartered Bank Head Office
 
Back - A butterfly feeding on a flower. To the right is a caterpillar (larva), and underneath is a chrysalis (pupa). This is basically featuring a life cycle of a butterfly. The only thing that is missing, I believe, is the egg.

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 50 
Dimensions - 149.5mm x 74.5mm
 
Butterfly
 
One Hundred Dollars
Standard Chartered Bank Head Office

Back - a couple performing Cantonese Opera and in the background is the image of the Xiqu Centre building.

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 100
Dimensions - 154mm x 77mm

Cantonese Opera actors

Five Hundred Dollars
Standard Chartered Bank Head Office

Back - Image of the Hexagonal Rock Formation situated in Sai Kung, which is an UNESCO Global Geopark since 2009.

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 500
Dimensions - 159mm x 79.5mm
 
Hexagonal Rock Formation
 
One Thousand Dollars
Standard Chartered Bank Head Office

Back - Hong Kong skyline designed mainly with binary numbers - 0's and 1's. The image is showing the financial center which is situated on Hong Kong Island. A ferry is crossing the Victoria Harbour. 

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 1000
Dimensions - 164.5mm x 82.5mm
 
Hong Kong skyline in binary numbers