Hong Kong Coinage (香港錢幣) 華夏泉貨彙考

Bauhinia 1993 HK$1

The recent bauhinia flower cupro-nickel coin in Hong Kong,
but they are all disappeared now.

In 1993, a series of coins featuring a Bauhinia flower* on the obverse was introduced to the Hong Kong market. Among that series of coins, the new Hong Kong cupro-nickel $1 coins have not been well received by the public because its token-like colour and its simple design compared with the Queen's Head coins.
But now, they are all disappeared in the market. I suspect not many people are aware of this. Do you know why they are all disappeared?

* [Bauhinia flower was found by the seaside of Pokfulam in Hong Kong by a franco-father in 1908. For the memory of the Hong Kong Governor (1898 to 1903) Sir Henry Blake, blakeana was used as the name of the flower. Bauhinia was officially approved as the flower of Hong Kong in 1965.]

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

Obverse

Reverse

Description

No. 105

Diam.
25 mm

Wt. 7.1 g.

Mint Evolution & Peculiarity

Rareness E

This first bauhinia flower cupro-nickel coin was struck in England. I don't know which mint. Its appearance completely does not like a genuine legal tender, it looks like a token or a toy. As I know that this type of coin is magnetizable. This may be due to the nickel content is too much. Thus the coin is not suitable for use in vending machines and coinphones. I think this is the main reason why Hong Kong Government withdrew all the 1993 bauhinia flower cupro-nickel HK$1 coin and scrapped them after circulation for a few months only. Hong Kong Government re-issued new non-magnetizable coins to replace them in 1994. Thus the coins are only available in small quantities. Now, I think you still have chance to get it in Hong Kong, don't give up.

Additional comment

I have received an additional comment about Bauhinia coin from Mr. R. F. of U.S.A. I appreciate very much. If you want to share your knowledge and enthusism in numismatics, feel free to contact me please.

I have placed below the e-mail which is self-explained. Thanks indeed to Mr. R. F.

On Thu, 19 Mar 1998,
Mr. R. F. wrote:

Subject: Bauhinia Flower HK$1

You are partly correct when you say that this coin was first struck in England. It was struck at the British Royal Mint, which was orignally situated in London, it is now situated at Llantrisant in Wales.

Best Regards

Links/References
網站鏈接參考

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