Hong Kong one-dollar coin explained

Country:Hong Kong
Denomination:One Dollar
Value:1.00
Unit:HKD
Mass:7.10
Diameter:25.50
Thickness:1.95
Edge:Milled
Composition:75% copper, 25% nickel
Years Of Minting:1866  - 1869, 1960, 1970-75, 1978-80, 1987-92, 1993-1998, 2013, 2015, 2017 (new issue)
Obverse:Hk1dollarcoina.JPG
Obverse Design:Bauhinia
Obverse Designer:Joseph Yam
Obverse Design Date:1992
Reverse:HKD 1998 1 Dollar.jpg
Reverse Design:1 with value in English and Chinese
Reverse Designer:Joseph Yam
Reverse Design Date:1992

The one-dollar coin is a denomination of the Hong Kong dollar.

History

It was first issued in 1866 as a silver coin of a diameter of 38 mm, a mass of 26.96 grams and a thickness of 2.80 mm. This issue lasted only three years with a reported mintage of 2,109,000 coins in total; separate statistics of each year's mintage are unavailable.

The second introduction of a dollar coin was started in 1960 as a copper-nickel coin of 30 mm in diameter, 2.25 mm thick, and weighing 11.66 g. The circulation of this coin was ended in 1978 with the issuance of a smaller coin of 25.50 mm in diameter, 1.95 mm thickness and weighing 7.10 g.

All issues up to 1992 featured Elizabeth II on the obverse with the inscription QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND.[1]

The reverse featured the Chinese characters and English words for 圓 (yùhn) one dollar, and 香港 Hong Kong, as well as an image of an English crowned lion in the centre.

In 1993 the portrait of Elizabeth II was replaced with the Bauhinia flower, this design is used to the present day but its first year's issue was made of nickel-plated steel as opposed to cupro-nickel.[2] in 1997 a commemorative issue with a Chinese unicorn, the Qilin on the reverse was issued for the handover of Hong Kong to China.

Mintage

Mintmarks

Year [3] [4] Mintage
1866-1868 (Silver coin) 2,109,000 (all years)
1960 (Large coin) 40,000,000 H mint mark, 40,000,000 KN
1970 15,000,000 H
1971 8,000,000 H
1972 20,000,000
1973 8,125,000
1974 26,000,000
1975 22,500,000
1978 (Small coin) 120,000,000
1979 104,908,000
1980 100,000,000
1987 ???
198820,000,000 circulating. 20,000 proof.
198920,000,000
1990???
1991???
199225,000,000
1993???
1994???
1995???
1996???
1997Regular and Chinese unicorn commemorative. ???
1998???
2013???
2015???
2017???
2019???
/// = has not been minted, ??? = unknown yet, --- = only minted for sets

References

Notes and References

  1. http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-63&desc=Hong Kong km63 1 Dollar (1982-1992)&query=Hong Kong
  2. http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img14/84-69&desc=Hong Kong km69 1 Dollar (1993) nickel plated steel&query=Hong Kong
  3. Book: Ma Tak Wo 2004, Illustrated Catalogue of Hong Kong Currency, Ma Tak Wo Numismatic Co., LTD Kowloon Hong Kong. . 962-85939-3-5 . Circulating Mintage quantities .
  4. Book: Krause, Chester L.. Standard Catalog of World Coins. 2001. Krause Publications. Iola, Wisconsin. 9780873418843. 920–921. registration.