The five-dollar coin is the second-highest-denomination coin of the Hong Kong dollar. It replaced the five-dollar banknote in 1976.
It was first issued as a 10-sided coin in 1976, under British rule. The coin was also made of copper-nickel but weighed 10.76 grams, was 31 mm in diameter and 2.08 mm thick. The obverse featured Arnold Machin's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and the inscription Queen Elizabeth II. Its reverse featured a crowned British lion and the year of minting, as well as the country's name and the coin's denomination in both English and Chinese.http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-39&desc=Hong Kong km39 5 Dollars (1976-1979)&query=Hong Kong
In 1980, the current round coin was issued, being slightly smaller and heavier. This coin replaced the lion on the reverse with a number five, but retained Machin's portrait. In 1985, the portrait of the Queen was changed to the one by Raphael Maklouf, introduced to British coins in the same year.http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img11/84-56&desc=Hong Kong km56 5 Dollars (1985-1991)&query=Hong Kong
In 1993, the image of the Queen on the obverse was replaced by a Bauhinia flower. Since that year, the flower features on all of Hong Kong's coins in circulation. The name of the country in both English and Chinese has been moved onto the obverse.http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img2/84-65&desc=Hong Kong km65 5 Dollars (1993--)&query=Hong Kong
A commemorative issue was released in 1997 to commemorate the handover of Hong Kong to China from the United Kingdom. It had five bats of happiness on the reverse, surrounding the shou character of longevity. The date was split on each side of the character and the denomination moved to the top.http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/display.php?image=img14/84-77&desc=Hong Kong km77 5 Dollars (1997) Shou character&query=Hong Kong
Mintage Year Mintage 1976 30,000,000 1978 10,000,000 1979 12,000,000 1980 40,000,000 1981 20,000,000 1982 10,000,000 1983 4,000,000 1984 4,500,000 1985 6,000,000 1986 8,000,000 1987 ??? 1988 16,000,000 circulation. 20,000 proof. 1989 37,000,000 (10,040,000 issued) 1990 Unknown but never issued. 1993 10,000,000 1995 50.000 1997 Shou character commemorative. Unknown circulating. 97,000 proof. 1998 Unknown 2012 40,000,000 2013 ??? 2015 Unknown 2017 Unknown /// = has not been minted, ??? = unknown yet, --- = only minted for sets
References
Sources
Ma Tak Wo 2004, Illustrated Catalogue of Hong Kong Currency, Ma Tak Wo Numismatic Co., LTD Kowloon Hong Kong.
Notes