east asia: Hong Kong BoC

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04 November 2024

...Hong Kong, Bank Of China - 2023 Reprints of $20, $50, $100 And $500

區政行別特港香國和共民人華中

(Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China)

司公限有(港香)行銀國中

(Bank of China [Hong Kong] Limited, founded 1964)

Currency - Dollar (HKD)

Here are the three reprinted banknotes of $20, $50 and $500, all printed with the date of 01.01.2023. This series was first introduced in 2018, and since then few reprints have been released in 2020, 2021, and now 2023. Despite the initial release being in full set of five notes, since then only odd notes were reprinted for the 2020, 2021 and 2023 dated notes.

There are no changes to the designs except for the new date of 01.01.2023. So far, these are the only two banknotes sighted and it is not sure if other denominations have been printed and waiting to be released.

Twenty Dollars

Signature

Sun Yu 孫煜 (Chief Executive since 23.12.2020)

Watermark - A bauhinia flower and electrotype 20

Dimensions - 144.5mm x 72.5mm

Front - The city’s landmark Bank of China (HK) Tower on the front and a bauhinia flower, the floral emblem of Hong Kong.

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. Theme - Tea Culture.

Fifty Dollars

Signature

Sun Yu 孫煜 (Chief Executive since 23.12.2020)

Watermarks - A bauhinia flower and electrotype 50

Dimensions - 149mm x 75mm

Front - The city’s landmark Bank of China (HK) Tower on the front and a bauhinia flower, the floral emblem of Hong Kong.

Back - Ecological Conservation theme with the image of a butterfly feeding on a flower. Theme - Butterfly and Flowers.

One Hundred Dollars

Signature

Sun Yu 孫煜 (Chief Executive since 23.12.2020)

Watermarks - A bauhinia flower and electrotype 50

Dimensions - 153.5mm x 77mm

Front - The city’s landmark Bank of China (HK) Tower on the front and a bauhinia flower, the floral emblem of Hong Kong.

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

Five Hundred Dollars

Signature

Sun Yu 孫煜 (Chief Executive since 23.12.2020)

Watermarks - A bauhinia flower and electrotype 500

Dimensions - 159mm x 79.5mm

Front - The city’s landmark Bank of China (HK) Tower on the front and a bauhinia flower, the floral emblem of Hong Kong.

Back - Natural Scenery theme with the image of the Hexagonal Rock Columns situated at the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark in the eastern and northeastern New Territories. Theme - Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark

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

10 October 2023

...Hong Kong, Bank of China - 2020 $500 And $1000 Reprints

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 two reprints notes of $500 and $1000 both dated 01.01.2020. It is believed only these two notes were issued in the year 2020. The designs are the same as the first 2018 series, but with new dates.

Signature - Gao Yingxin 高应新 (Chief Executive - 01.01.2018 to 25.05.2020)

The designs on the front for the three 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 - $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.

The theme on the back of each note for all three commercial banks are the same, albeit the designs are not the same.

Five Hundred Dollars

Bank of China Tower

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 80mm

Hexagonal Rock Formation

One Thousand Dollars

Bank of China Tower

Back - Two images of heads facing the opposite directions. One has binary numbers 0's and 1's in the brain and the other one has the globe as the brain.

Watermark - Bauhinia flower and electrotype 1000

Dimensions - 165mm x 82.5mm

Two heads binary numbers and globe

01 November 2022

...Hong Kong Bank of China - $20 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games Commemorative Note

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)

Like the Bank of China's 2008 Beijing Olympics $20 commemorative note, the bank issued a new $20 banknote celebrating the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic games. The games were held from 04.02.2021 to 20.02.2022. Chinese New Year started on 01.02.2022.

This is the third Winter Olympic Games banknote ever issued in the history of the games since 1924. Previous two notes issued were the Russia Sochi 2014 games, and then followed by South Korea PyeongChang 2018 games.

Unlike those issued in China and Macau, all notes are issued in a folder and come with a plastic cover protector, which is good for shipping and storage. This series comes in the following formats:-

Single note - sold at HK$138 each (1.57 million sets);

4-in-one uncut sheet - HK$338 each (20,000 sets or 80,000 notes); and

35-in-one sheet - HK$1,338 each (10,000 sets or 350,000 notes).

Like all previous commemorative notes issued in Hong Kong, purchasing of this series was done via online application. Application for the purchase was opened via the Internet on 01.12.2021 and closed on 10.12.2021, with the winners announced on 21.12.2021. It is not sure if the single notes were all subscribed, however, the uncut sheets for the 4-in-1 were very successful and as such, allocations for these were done via computer balloting.

A total of 2.0 million notes were issued. Included in the 1.57 single notes, 200 single notes were set aside for public auction. These notes are all printed with low, unique or auspicious serial numbers. All profits raised from the sales were donated to various charities.

According to a report, this note was launched on 24.11.2021 by Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. The theme for this note is based on a Tang dynasty poem "From Far Away You Share This Moment With Me". Unfortunately, this Winter games was restricted with no foreign spectators allowed due to the ongoing pandemic, so most people were only able to enjoy the games via their own home's telly.

The front features the emblem of the coming Games and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, adorned with snowflakes, according to Dai Xiaodong, the bank’s general manager of financial management department.

Apart from the notes printed with no letter and AA prefixes, they are also printed with the AB prefix. Like those previous commemorative notes issued, it is not expected to see these notes circulating in the economy at face value. These notes will be kept as a souvenir for generations to come.

Twenty Dollars Commemorative (No letter prefix)

Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong

Twenty Dollars Commemorative (Prefix AA)

Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong

The design on the front of the note is very similar to the current $20 series. On the front, it has the Bank of China main building. In the center of the note, it has the giant snowflake, printed on it is the Beijing 2022 Olympics logo. On the top right-hand corner, the two leaves printed on the current $20 has been replaced by the national flower of Bauhinia. This note is dated 01.01.2022.

This note is printed with the Galaxy windowed security thread with Saturn effect and demetalised 20 and Bauhinia flowers. It also has the watermark of a giant snowflake and electrotype 20.

Signature - Sun Yu (appointed 23.12.2020)

Watermark - Giant snowflake and electrotype 20

Imprinter - Hong Kong Note Printing Limited

Dimension - 143mm x 71.5mm

Twenty Dollars Commemorative (Prefix AB)

Dimensions - 144mm x 72mm

On the back, the design is on a vertical format, depicting the main image of a speed skater and an alpine skier. On top of it is the silhouette of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour under the shimmering moonlight and at the bottom is the image of the Great Wall of China, and mountains. This note is predominantly printed in blue colour.

A speed skater and an alpine skier, Great Wall of China

Front Folder Cover

04 April 2021

...Hong Kong, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited - 2015 Prints Full Set 中國銀行(香港)有限公司

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)

It appears that these are the only general issues in Hong Kong for the year 2015 before the new 2018 series was introduced by all the three major commercial banks. Both the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and the Standard Chartered Bank did not issue any banknotes printed with the year date of 2015, but instead released them in 2016. However the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited did issue a commemorative $150 banknote in 2015.

I do not believe there are any changes to the designs for these issues since it was first introduced in 2010 except with new dates and signatures.

With these 2015 full sets, I can now say that I have the complete collection of the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited 2010 series. Apart from the 2010 first releases, full sets were also released in 2012, 2013, 2014 and this 2015. In all there are 25 pieces of banknotes for this series, totaling HK$8,350 in face value. Unlike many central banks or commercial banks with banknotes issuing authority around the world, when general banknotes are required in Hong Kong, you will usually release them in full. However, there were odd occasions when not all denominations were issued in the same series.

The signature on this set is not the same as those issued between 2010 and 2014. I believe the signature belongs to Mr Yue Yi (岳毅先生). He was appointed as the Chief Executive of the bank in January 2015. However, he left the bank on 01.01.2018. Apart from being the Chief Executive, he was also the Vice Chairman and the Executive Director. He was succeeded by Mr Gao Yingxin (高應新先生), who has also left the bank in May 2020.

On the front, all notes featured the Bank of China Tower which is a skyscraper located at 1 Garden Road Hong Kong Island. The Bank of China Tower was designed by the renowned Chinese architect, the late Pei Ieoh Ming (貝聿銘 b.1917-2019). The tower is 367m tall and is the fourth tallest building in Hong Kong. Construction for this building was started in 1985 and completed in 1990. The building consists of 72-storey tall and only 23 floors are occupied by the bank. The rest is leased out. The company that built this building was the Japanese company called Kumagai Gumi and was briefly the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong when completed in 1992. Because of the unique distinct design of this building, it is also sometime nicknamed 一把刀 (meaning One Knife or Yaat Baa Dou in Cantonese) to the locals in Hong Kong. In addition to the bank building, it also features the bauhinia flower.

On the back, it features popular places or famous landmarks in Hong Kong;-

$20 - Repulse Bay 淺水灣. This is a public beach located in the southern part of Hong Kong island. Properties surrounding Repulse bay are one of the most expensive you can find in Hong Kong. The beach is crescent-shaped and covered with golden sand. Shark nets are also deployed around the beach to protect swimmers in case of any potential danger from the sea;

$50 - Tung Ping Chau 東平洲. This is an island that forms part of the New Territories. The island looks like the shape of a kidney bean and is famous for its unique rock formation that can be found through-out the island. This island is a popular destination for tourists, especially for local hikers. Back in the old days, there were more than 2000 people living on this island. Today only a handful still call this island home. The reason is that there are no running waters, electricity or landline telephone on the island. Because the island is hardly occupied by humans, there are practically no developments undertaken by the government. Accessing this island is by ferry from Ma Liu Shin ferry pier and the journey one way is about 1.5 hours. The ferry services only operate on weekdays and public holidays. I believe there are no cars on the island;

$100 - Lion Rock 獅子山. You will have to look carefully to figure out the imaging of the lion. The Lion Rock is called this because it is shaped like a lion resting his belly on top of the mountain. The Lion Rock is situated between Kowloon and the New Territories and you can see the image of the lion facing to the left on the note. The summit of the Lion Rock is about 495 meters tall.

$500 - High Island Reservoir 萬宜水庫 in Sui Kung peninsula. The reservoir was built to alleviate water shortage in Hong Kong. Planning for this reservoir started in 1967 when China shut down fresh water supply to Hong Kong following the riots between the people of Hong Kong and the government. The construction for the reservoir was completed in 1987 at a cost of HK$400 millions;

$1000 - Aerial view of Victoria Harbour 維多利亞港. If you have been to Hong Kong, I am sure you will agree that the Victoria Harbour is one of the most spectacular landforms harbours in the world. Needless to say the Victoria harbour is a major tourist attraction and visited by millions of tourists from around the world every year. The harbour also provides a spectacular viewing from the Victoria Peak 太平山, especially at night. The boundary of the harbour has changed over the years due to land reclamation for redevelopments. It is also said that this land reclamation has also reduced the width of the sea lane between Kowloon and Hong Kong island.

Signature - Mr Yue Yi (岳毅先生) tenure 2015 to 01.01.2018.

Dimensions

$20 - 144mm x 72mm;

$50 - 149mm x 74mm;

$100 - 153mm x 77mm;

$500 - 158.5mm x 79.5mm; and

$1000 - 164mm x 82mm.

Twenty Dollars