Hong Kong fifty-cent coin explained

Country:Hong Kong
Denomination:Fifty cents
Value:0.50
Mass:4.92
Diameter:22.5
Thickness:1.72
Years Of Minting:1866  - 1905, 1951 - presentsome years not minted, see text
Catalog Number:-
Obverse Designer:Joseph Yam
Obverse Design Date:1992
Reverse Design:50 with value in English and Chinese
Reverse Designer:Joseph Yam
Reverse Design Date:1992

The fifty-cent coin was first introduced as a .900 purity silver half dollar in 1866. These coins were 13.41 grams, with a diameter of 32 mm, thickness of 2 mm, and a reeded edge. The design was similar to the British trade dollar, except the image of Britannia was replaced by Queen Victoria. The dates of issue were 1866-67 with only 59,000 issued for both dates combined.

In 1890, a second issue of this coin was made, this time as a fifty-cent piece. The mintage years was from 1890–94 and 1902, 1904-05. The coin was reeded but reduced in size to 30.5 mm in diameter, but with an increase in weight to 13.48 grammes, but the thickness stayed the same at 2 mm. Metal composition was .800 silver.

No more of this denomination was minted until 1951 when a copper-nickel coin was issued. It was 23.5 mm in diameter, weighed 5.81 g and 2 mm in thickness. Until 1971, the reeding was with a security edge and from then onwards was just reeded. In 1977 a nickel-brass coin was issued which reduced the size of the coin. The bauhinia series, without the queen's portrait, was issued in 1993. In 1997 a commemorative coin was issued for the hand over of Hong Kong to China. It featured an ox.

Mintage years are as follows: 1951, 1958, 1960–61, 1963–68, 1970–75, 1977–80, 1990, 1993–95, 1997-98 and 2015.

Mintage

Mintmarks

Year[1] Mintage
195115,000,000
1958H4,000,000
19604,000,000
19616,000,000
1963H10,000,000
19645,000,000
1965KN8,000,000
19665,000,000
196712,000,000
1968H12,000,000
1970H4,600,000
1971KN???
197230,000,000
197336,800,000
19746,000,000
19758,000,000
197760,001,000
197870,000,000
197960,640,000
1980120,000,000
198840,000 circulating. 20,000 proof.
199027,000,000
1993???
1994???
1995???
1997Ox commemorative. ??? circulating. 97,000 proof.
1997Unknown
1998Unknown
2015Unknown
2017Unknown

References

  1. Book: Krause, Chester L.. Standard Catalog of World Coins. 2001. Krause Publications. Iola, Wisconsin. 9780873418843. 920. registration.