Hong Kong fifty-cent coin

Fifty cents
Hong Kong
Value 0.50 HKD
Mass 4.92 g
Diameter 22.5 mm
Thickness 1.72 mm
Edge Reeded
Composition Nickel and brass
Years of minting 1866 1905, 1951 - presentsome years not minted, see text
Catalog number -
Obverse
Design Bauhinia
Designer Joseph Yam
Design date 1992
Reverse
Design 50 with value in English and Chinese
Designer Joseph Yam
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 by 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 and 1997-98.

Mintage

King George VI 1951
1951 Reeded Edge

Mintmarks

Year[1] Mintage
1951 15,000,000
1958H 4,000,000
1960 4,000,000
1961 6,000,000
1963H 10,000,000
1964 5,000,000
1965KN 8,000,000
1966 5,000,000
1967 12,000,000
1968H 12,000,000
1970H 4,600,000
1971KN ???
1972 30,000,000
1973 36,800,000
1974 6,000,000
1975 8,000,000
1977 60,001,000
1978 70,000,000
1979 60,640,000
1980 120,000,000
1988 40,000 circulating. 20,000 proof.
1990 27,000,000
1993 ???
1994 ???
1995 ???
1997 Ox commemorative. ??? circulating. 97,000 proof.
1997 Ordinary issue ???
1998 ???

References

  • Ma Tak Wo 2004, Illustrated Catalogue of Hong Kong Currency, Ma Tak Wo Numismatic Co., LTD Kowloon Hong Kong. ISBN 962-85939-3-5
  1. Krause, Chester L. (2001). Standard Catalog of World Coins. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 920. ISBN 9780873418843.