香港一九四一年一仙銅幣 Hong Kong 1941 One Cent Coin 華夏泉貨彙考

Hong Kong 1941 One Cent
[Please be noted that this page is under construction]

When I read Dr. B.K.'s e-mail and view the images, I have got to keep quiet a few minute in order to steady my thought. It is because "Hong Kong 1941 One Cent" coin is a very rare coin. I hardly resist the temptation to find out the background story of this coin. Hong Kong 1941 One Cent coin is the last one cent coin to be made for Hong Kong by the Royal Mint. As we all know that collectors will extract more enjoyment from coin if they know about the history of the pieces that they have come across.

With the existing references, this pieces is believed to be the most rarest coin in the Hong Kong Coinage. Although it was minted 60 years ago, it was never issued as a result of the war with Japan. This is why the rarity of this coin today. As I know there is no evidence that "Hong Kong 1941 1 Cent" coins ever reached Hong Kong despite the large number minted. May be they were captured and sent to Japan to be melted for war material.
My personal estimation of this coin, there are less than 100 surviving specimens, probably closer to 50. Most of these coins have come to light from Japanese sources. Now this coin is almost impossible to be collected in any gradings and conditions. The background story of this coin has not yet revealed all its secrets until the present day. Showing here on this page is the images of the coin by courtesy of Dr. B.K. Thanks indeed!

I will be grateful to any collector or numismatist who can provide more information of this coin, feel free to contact me please.

香港一九四一年一仙銅幣

當我最近收到有關香港四一年一仙銅幣的消息時，我實在難以相信這是真的。直至我收到圖片後，我不禁目定口呆，良久我才清醒過來。我實在難以忍受這個香港一仙銅幣所帶來的誘惑。我不想探討這枚硬幣的經濟價值，因為我知道我對這些懂得很少，或者有知情的泉友可以告訴我。我只希望我能找出這枚銅幣的沿革和背景。泉友都會明白到，如果我們遇到一枚硬幣而又知道它的沿革和背景，其所帶來的樂趣是無與倫比的。

根據坊間現存資料，大至上認為在一九四一年底，倫敦皇家造幣廠己鑄成五百萬枚一仙銅幣，分五批運往香港。有兩批這種銅幣是在四一年八月由英國付運香港。餘下的每月運一批。但是在銅幣運港途中，香港己經淪陷在日軍手中。而其中一艘在十月付運的船載有八十九萬二千枚銅幣經南非好望角時卸下。後來又原船撤回英國，所有硬幣被鎔解再鑄其他幣。

有一個傳說認為有一艘船己經運硬幣到達香港或在南中國海域中，所有硬幣落在日海軍手中。其中包括香港四一年一仙銅幣，當時一日本海軍軍官在檢查這批硬幣時，因為好奇關係而隨手拿了一把硬幣而放在衣袋中。所有硬幣照例被運往日本鎔掉作為戰爭上的用途。

戰後，最先有幾枚香港一仙銅幣在日本被發現，而後來在香港也發現兩三枚。我認為最後一個傳說有一定根據。不過在最近二十年，已經有很多枚香港一仙銅幣在世界各地被發現，主要都集中在東南亞一帶被發現。個人估計現己發現的一仙銅幣約在一百枚左右，如果再保守一些最少都會有五十枚。

當閣下觀看這個網頁時，我相信閣下對香港的硬幣有一定興趣，閣下是否知道任何有關香港四一年一仙硬幣的消息呢？請多多指教！謝謝。

Marks of Rareness of the Collected Currencies
Extremely Rare A ~ Very Rare B ~ Rare C ~ Not So Many D ~ Common E

Obverse Reverse Description

By Courtesy of Dr. B.K.
By courtesy of Dr. B.K. No. 330

Diam.
21.5 mm

Thickness:
1.8 mm

Wt. 4.05 g

Edge: plain

Rareness A

Mint Evolution and Peculiarity

OBV: Crowned head left, GEORGE VI KING AND EMPEROR OF INDIA.
REV: HONG -KONG ONE CENT 1941, four Chinese characters within a beaded circle.

An order for coins of 5,000,000 Hong Kong 1 Cent and 1,851,800 5 Cents pieces was sent to the Royal Mint in 1940 by the Hong Kong Government, but it is believed that because the war with Japan, these two coins apparently were not delivered to the Colony in time for them to be used.

One more Hong Kong 1941 One Cent Coin

I post below is an email received from MR. P. Leung on Thu, 15 Nov 2007. The email is self-explanatory.

From: "P. Leung"
To: Y K Leung
Subject: Hong Kong 1941 One Cent
Sent: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:23:30 +0800

Dear Mr Leung,

It's a great website that you have - "Chinese Numismatics in Hong Kong".

BTW, when I'm doing house work the other day, I found a can of old coins left from my grand parents... to my surprise, there is a Hong Kong 1941 One Cent that I checked over & over again... just to make sure what I saw was right.

From the story of Hong Kong 1941 One Cent in your website, I sincerely hope that you could give me some advice of this coin. e.g. How well does the coin look & how to evaluate it's value ? Pls find 2 pictures of the coin for your reference.

Looking forward to hear from you soon.

with regards,

P. Leung

Obverse Reverse Description

By Courtesy of Mr. P. Leung
By courtesy of Mr. P. Leung No. 330

Diam.
Unknown

Thickness:
Unknown

Wt. Unknown

Edge: Unknown

Rareness A

Additional comment
from Mr. Rod Sell of Rod Sell's Homepage
Subject: Re: Hong Kong 1941 1 cent coin
Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 11:08:31 +1000

Dear Mr Leung,

A lovely coin indeed.

I agree with your assessment that the survival rate is probably 50 or less.

In the October 1965 edition of World Coins, Sidney, Ohio. There was an article on the 1941 1 cent, also included in the article was a copy of a letter from the Royal Mint dated 20th February 1964 to Dr Verner J. Anderson.

The letter confirmed 5,000,000 coins were minted and shipped to HK in 5 installment. 1 shipment with 875,000 coins was unloaded in South Africa and returned to the UK where they were melted. That still leaves 4,125,000 coins which probably became Japanese war metal.

It is nice to see a quality site on HK coins.

Regards,

Rod Sell

You can also view the
Hong Kong Ten Cents Coin or Hong Kong One Mil Coin page.

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Any additional comment would be much appreciated, you can send it to Y K Leung.

Obverse	Reverse	Description
By Courtesy of Dr. B.K.	By courtesy of Dr. B.K.	No. 330
		Diam. 21.5 mm
		Thickness: 1.8 mm
		Wt. 4.05 g
		Edge: plain
		Rareness A
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity
OBV: Crowned head left, GEORGE VI KING AND EMPEROR OF INDIA. REV: HONG -KONG ONE CENT 1941, four Chinese characters within a beaded circle. An order for coins of 5,000,000 Hong Kong 1 Cent and 1,851,800 5 Cents pieces was sent to the Royal Mint in 1940 by the Hong Kong Government, but it is believed that because the war with Japan, these two coins apparently were not delivered to the Colony in time for them to be used.

One more Hong Kong 1941 One Cent Coin
I post below is an email received from MR. P. Leung on Thu, 15 Nov 2007. The email is self-explanatory. From: "P. Leung" To: Y K Leung Subject: Hong Kong 1941 One Cent Sent: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:23:30 +0800 Dear Mr Leung, It's a great website that you have - "Chinese Numismatics in Hong Kong". BTW, when I'm doing house work the other day, I found a can of old coins left from my grand parents... to my surprise, there is a Hong Kong 1941 One Cent that I checked over & over again... just to make sure what I saw was right. From the story of Hong Kong 1941 One Cent in your website, I sincerely hope that you could give me some advice of this coin. e.g. How well does the coin look & how to evaluate it's value ? Pls find 2 pictures of the coin for your reference. Looking forward to hear from you soon. with regards, P. Leung
Obverse	Reverse	Description
By Courtesy of Mr. P. Leung	By courtesy of Mr. P. Leung	No. 330
		Diam. Unknown
		Thickness: Unknown
		Wt. Unknown
		Edge: Unknown
		Rareness A