HK$20 — Twenty Dollars
The artwork
Front: At the left, a finely engraved achievement of arms in deep green — crowned helm, lion and unicorn supporters, the garter motto HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE about the shield and DIEU ET MON DROIT on the scroll below, resting on a maritime compartment. The centre panel carries the bank's promise to pay the bearer on demand at its Office here, TWENTY DOLLARS in shaded capitals, the place and date HONGKONG 1st JANUARY 1989, and the General Manager's signature. A plain oval reserve sits right, with 弍拾 beside it; serial BH955813 appears twice.
Back: The bank's own headquarters at 1 Queen's Road Central, Norman Foster's steel-framed tower, drawn straight on and filling the centre arch. Flanking it are the two bronze lions that have sat outside the building since the 1930s, one roaring, one at rest. Behind the right-hand lion, the harbour skyline with a clock tower on the waterfront. The title The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation runs along the foot between four 20s.
In circulation
The design belongs to the HSBC series begun in 1985, printed with dates running through to the early 1990s. It was superseded by the bank's 1993 series, which dropped the royal arms in favour of the lion's head ahead of the 1997 handover; the older notes were steadily withdrawn thereafter.
Details
- CurrencyDollar (HK$)
- DenominationTwenty Dollars
- Collectedon the Hong Kong journey, 1993
- IssuerThe Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
- Series1985 series; this note dated 1st January 1989
- PrinterThomas De La Rue and Company Limited
- WatermarkLion's head, in the plain oval reserve
- SignatureGeneral Manager