Hong Kong ten-cent coin
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=January 2023}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Short description|Lowest physical currency in Hong Kong}}
{{Infobox coin
|Country = Hong Kong
|Denomination = Ten cents
|Value = 0.10
|Unit = HKD
|Mass = 1.85
|Diameter = 17.50
|Thickness = 1.15
|Edge = plain
|Composition = Nickel-brass
|Years of Minting = 1863–1905, 1935–1939 and 1948–present
|Catalog Number = –
|Obverse =
|Obverse Design = Bauhinia
|Obverse Designer = Joseph Yam
|Obverse Design Date = 1992
|Reverse =
|Reverse Design = 10 with value in English and Chinese
|Reverse Designer = Joseph Yam
|Reverse Design Date = 1992
}}
The ten-cent coin is the lowest-denomination circulating coin of the Hong Kong dollar. With a diameter of {{convert|17.5|mm}} and a mass of {{convert|1.85|g}} it is also the smallest in size and weight.{{cite web|url=http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/circ_sets/HongKong.html|title=Circulation Coin Sets of the World|access-date=2023-01-28}} It is the oldest coin denomination to still be in circulation in Hong Kong. Since its first issue in 1863, there has only been one period (1942–1947) where the coin was not in use.
History
Before the Second World War the coin was first made of .800 purity silver, with a weight of {{convert|2.82|g}}, thickness of {{convert|1.1|mm}} and diameter of {{convert|17.50|mm}} with a reeded edge. The first ten-cent coin, issued in 1863, featured the portrait of Queen Victoria on its obverse and was minted until the year of her death, 1901.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=nmc2/84-6 Hong Kong km6 10 Cents (1863–1901)] Retrieved 2023-01-28. Her successor, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom then featured on the obverse from 1902 to 1905, despite reigning until 1910.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=nmc7/84-13 Hong Kong km13 10 Cents (1902–1905)] Retrieved 2023-01-28. In the early 1900s during China's currency reform, in some provinces of China, such as Guangxi, some residents and retailers refused Chinese 10-cent coins, and requested instead the "kwaitau", or "ghost's head" coin, a euphemism for the Hong Kong 10-cent coin.{{cite news|title=China's currency chaos|volume=142|issue=39|work=The Gazette|date=14 February 1913}}
After a long period of no minting, the coin returned in 1935 and 1936 with King George V of the United Kingdom on its obverse.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img13/84-19 Hong Kong km19 10 Cents (1935–1936)] Retrieved 2023-01-28. The dimnesons remained the same although the coin's composition was changed to copper-nickel.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}
In 1937 the weight was changed to {{convert|4.54|g}}, diameter to {{convert|20.57|mm}}, thickness to {{convert|1.85|mm}}, and the composition to nickel as the portrait of King George VI of the United Kingdom was introduced to the obverse.
In 1948 a new coin was issued for this denomination: a nickel-brass coin 20.57 mm in diameter, weighing 4.54 g and with a thickness of 1.85 mm and a plain edge. From 1948 to 1951, it bore the portrait of George VI on its obverse, without his title of Emperor of India, lost in 1947.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-25 Hong Kong km25 10 Cents (1948–1951)] Retrieved 2023-01-28. In 1955, despite succeeding in 1952, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was first minted on the obverse.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-28_1 Hong Kong km28.1 10 Cents (1955–1968)] Retrieved 2023-01-28. From 1937, onwards the coin featured a reeded security edge; this changed to a reeded edge in 1971.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img17/84-28_3 Hong Kong km28.3 10 Cents (1971–1980) reeded edge] Retrieved 2023-01-28.
Because of its similarity in size and weight to the 50-cent piece, the ten-cent piece was redesigned with a plain edge from 1982. The portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Arnold Machin, introduced to the coins of the pound sterling in 1968, was placed on the obverse.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-49 Hong Kong km49 10 Cents (1982–1984)] Retrieved 2023-01-28. On 1 January 1984 the old ten-cent coin was demonetised. In 1985 the portrait of the Queen by Machin was replaced by the portrait sculpted by Raphael Maklouf, used until 1992 and the launch of Hong Kong coins without the portrait of a reigning British Monarch.[http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-55 Hong Kong km55 10 Cents (1985–1992)] Retrieved 2023-01-28.
The shape and size has been maintained at launch of the bauhinia series in 1993. In 1997, a commemorative coin was issued for the hand over of Hong Kong to China. It featured a traditional Chinese junk sailing boat.
Mintage
Mintmarks
- H = Heaton
- KN = King's Norton
| class=wikitable |
| Year{{cite book|last=Krause|first=Chester L.|title=Standard Catalog of World Coins|year=2001|publisher=Krause Publications|location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn=9780873418843|pages=[https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00ches/page/919 919–920]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/standardcatalogo00ches/page/919}}Ma Tak Wo (2004), Illustrated Catalogue of Hong Kong Currency, Ma Tak Wo Numismatic Co., LTD Kowloon Hong Kong. {{ISBN|962-85939-3-5}}.
!Mintage |
|---|
| 1902
|18,000,000 |
| 1903
|25,000,000 |
| 1904
|30,000,000 |
| 1905
|33,487,000 |
| 1935
|10,000,000 |
| 1936
|5,000,000 |
| 1937
|17,500,000 |
| 1938
|7,500,000 |
| 1939H
|5,000,000 |
| 1939KN
|5,000,000 |
| 1948
|30,000,000 |
| 1949
|35,000,000 |
| 1950
|20,000,000 |
| 1951
|5,000,000 |
| 1955
|10,000,000 |
| 1956
|3,110,000 |
| 1956H
|4,488,000 |
| 1956KN
|2,500,000 |
| 1957H
|5,250,000 |
| 1957KN
|2,800,000 |
| 1958KN
|10,000,000 |
| 1959H
|20,000,000 |
| 1960
|12,500,000 |
| 1960H
|10,000,000 |
| 1961
|20,000,000 |
| 1961H
|5,000,000 |
| 1961KN
|5,000,000 |
| 1963
|27,000,000 |
| 1963H
|3,000,000 |
| 1963KN
|??? |
| 1964
|9,000,000 |
| 1964H
|21,000,000 |
| 1965
|40,000,000 |
| 1965H
|8,000,000 |
| 1967
|10,000,000 |
| 1968H
|15,000,000 |
| 1971H
|22,000,000 |
| 1972KN
|20,000,000 |
| 1973
|2,250,000 |
| 1974
|4,600,000 |
| 1975
|44,840,000 |
| 1978
|57,500,000 |
| 1979
|101,500,000 |
| 1980
|24,000,000 (Few pieces were released for circulation in 1980, but large numbers have found their way onto the market in subsequent years. About 3,500 are known to exist.) |
| 1982
|??? |
| 1983
|110,016,000 |
| 1984
|30,016,000 |
| 1985
|34,016,000 |
| 1986
|40,000,000 |
| 1987
|??? |
| 1988
|30,000,000 circulating. 20,000 proof. |
| 1989
|40,000,000 |
| 1990
|??? |
| 1991
|??? |
| 1992
|24,000,000 |
| 1993
|??? |
| 1994
|??? |
| 1995
|??? |
| 1996
|??? |
| 1997
|??? |
| 1997 (Establishment of the HKSAR)
|Commemorative sailing junk. Unknown circulation. 97,000 proof. |
| 2017
|??? |
References
{{Portal|China|Hong Kong|Money|Numismatics}}
{{Reflist}}
{{HK currency and coinage}}