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1 Dollar - Victoria
| Issuer | Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Year | 1866-1868 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | ONE DOLLAR 香 圓 壹 港 HONG KONG 1868 (Translation: Hong Kong One Dollar) |
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| Mintage | 1866 - - 2,109,000 1866 - reeded edge; Proof - 1866 - smooth edge; Proof - 1867 - overdate variety exists; mintage included in 1866 - 1867 - Proof - 1868 - Mintage included in 1866 - 1868 - Proof - |
| Additional information |
Hong Kong's dollar coinage in the 1860s was a direct response to the chaos of competing currencies circulating in the colony — Mexican pesos, Spanish Carolus dollars, and various chopmarked trade coins all passed hand to hand with no consistent standard. The colonial government pushed for a local dollar to anchor commercial transactions, particularly with mainland Chinese merchants who distrusted unfamiliar foreign issues. The Royal Mint's branch in Hong Kong, which opened in 1866, was established specifically to produce this coin.
The mint proved a financial disaster almost immediately. Operating costs far exceeded revenue, and the branch was shuttered in 1868 — the same year this type ceased production. Dies and equipment were eventually sold to Japan, where they contributed to early Meiji-era coinage infrastructure.