Hong Kong one-cent coin facts for kids
| Hong Kong | |
| Value | 0.01 HKD |
|---|---|
| Mass | 4.05 g |
| Diameter | 21.5 mm |
| Thickness | 1.30 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Years of minting | 1863 –1866, 1875-77, 1879-81, 1899-05, 1919, 1923-26, 1931, 1933-34, 1941 |
| Catalog number | - |
| Obverse | |
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|
| Design | George VI of the United Kingdom, shown above |
| Reverse | |
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|
| Design | Hong Kong, value in English and Chinese and year of minting |
The one-cent coin was the smallest coin used in Hong Kong for many years. It was first made in 1866. This coin was used until 1941, when a one-cent paper note took its place.
During World War II, many one-cent coins from 1941 were lost or melted down. Because of this, fewer than 100 of these coins still exist today. This makes them very rare and special!
What Did the Coin Look Like?
The design of the one-cent coin stayed mostly the same over the years. On one side, it always had the words '香港一仙' (which means 'Hong Kong One Cent' in Chinese). This was surrounded by the English translation, 'HONG KONG ONE CENT'.
The other side of the coin showed the picture of the British monarch (king or queen) who was ruling at the time. Over the years, four different monarchs appeared on the coin:
The first one-cent coins were made in 1863. They were made of copper and were quite large and heavy. They weighed 7.5 grams and were about 27.8 millimeters wide.
To save money, the coin's material was changed in 1902 from copper to bronze. This made the coins cheaper to produce. Later, during the time of George V, the coin's size was made even smaller two more times.
How Many Coins Were Made?
The word "mintage" means the total number of coins produced in a specific year. Sometimes, coins have a small letter called a "mintmark." This letter tells you which mint (factory) made the coin.
Mintmarks
- H = Heaton (This means the coin was made at the Heaton Mint.)
Here's a list of how many one-cent coins were made in different years:
| Year | Mintage (Number of Coins Made) |
|---|---|
| 1902 | 5,000,000 |
| 1903 | 5,000,000 |
| 1904H | 10,000,000 |
| 1905 | 2,500,000 |
| 1905H | 12,500,000 |
| 1919H | 2,500,000 |
| 1923 | 2,500,000 |
| 1924 | 5,000,000 |
| 1925 | 2,500,000 |
| 1926 | 2,500,000 |
| 1931 | 5,000,000 |
| 1933 | 6,500,000 |
| 1934 | 5,000,000 |
| 1941 | 5,000,000 |
 | Isaac Myers |
 | D. Hamilton Jackson |
 | A. Philip Randolph |
