A new set of Hong Kong banknotes has been issued by the three issuing banks: HSBC, Standard Chartered and Bank of China.
Hong Kong Monetary Authority head Norman Chan said there are five Hong Kong-related themes shared by the three banks.
The five themes include:
HK$1000: international financial centre;
HK$500: Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark;
HK$100: Cantonese opera;
HK$50: Hong Kong butterflies;
HK$20: Dim sum and tea culture.
The new notes have six key security features including a dynamic shimmering pattern, a windowed metallic thread, an enhanced watermark, embossed textures, a concealed numeral and fluorescent, transparent patterns.
The HK$1,000 note will go into circulation at the end of the year, and the HK$500 notes will be released in early 2019.
Other notes will be ready for issue between 2019 and 2020.
“On top of carrying state-of-the-art security features, the unified thematic subject presented in a vertical layout for each denomination of the banknotes across the three NIBs makes the new series distinctive from the previous one and a good representation of the local culture of Hong Kong,” Chan said.
He also said the notes can be read by visually-impaired people via phone apps.
Howard Lee, deputy chief executive of the Monetary Authority, said that the new vertical design of the banknotes’ rear side was inspired by overseas examples.
“The public can easily recognise these are new bank notes when they see the vertical design,” he said.
