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1 Dollar
| Issuer | Government of Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Year | 1949-1952 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1863-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Dark green on multicolour underprint. Central panel carries the bilingual denomination '壹圓 / ONE DOLLAR' surrounded by intricate guilloche lacework and corner numerals '1'. The design is uniform with the obverse colour scheme, with the issuer's name 'GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG' across the top and Chinese characters '香港政府' below, framed by fine lathe-work borders throughout. |
| Reverse lettering | GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG 香港政府 ONE DOLLAR 壹圓 1 |
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| Comments |
The Government of Hong Kong — not the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation or any other commercial institution — issued this dollar directly, a arrangement that persisted for low denominations because the chartered banks had no obligation to cover small notes. Bradbury, Wilkinson printed the series at their New Malden works, a firm better known for engraved securities and stamps than for circulation currency of this modest face value.
Arthur Clarke served as Financial Secretary from 1946 to 1952, placing his signature across the entire run of this issue. The 1952 date likely reflects a reprint to meet postwar demand as Hong Kong's population swelled rapidly following the influx of refugees from mainland China after 1949.