News

Hong Kong unveils new banknotes

July 24, 2011

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the three note-issuing banks (Standard Chartered Bank Limited, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Bank of China Limited) have unveiled the designs of the $100, $50 and $20 of the Hong Kong 2010 Series New Banknotes.

The new $100, $50 and $20 banknotes incorporate the same security features as the new $1,000 and $500 banknotes, which are already in circulation, and also the design to facilitate the visually impaired to differentiate the denominations.

Security features include:

• Dynamic color-changing pattern — color shifting between green and gold with a shimmering horizontal bar seen rolling up and down when the note is tilted
• Color-changing windowed metallic thread — color shifting between magenta and green and the "H" and "K" on the thread are made up of micro-text
• Standardized enhanced watermark — comprising a multi-tonal watermark of a bauhinia flower and highlight watermark of the denomination's numeral and dot pattern, a standardized design for the three note-issuing banks
• Fluorescent see-through pattern — registration of the patterns on the front and back, with two fluorescent colors visible under ultraviolet light
• Fluorescent serial number — the vertical serial number is fluorescent under ultraviolet light

"The new $100, $50 and $20 banknotes will be gradually put into circulation starting from this November, after which the entire Hong Kong 2010 Series New Banknotes will be in full circulation in the community. The new $1,000 and $500 banknotes, which have been in circulation since last December and this February respectively, received very positive response from the public. I am confident that the new $100, $50 and $20 banknotes will be equally well received," said Norman Chan, chief executive of the HKMA.

The new banknotes were designed by the respective note-issuing banks.

All existing banknotes will continue to be legal tender and will circulate until physically unfit for circulation.

For more information on this topic, visit our security research center.