What are these 1997 Hong Kong "coins?"

Aethelred

Are these coins, medals, tokens or just junk?

lordmarcovan

<< <i>Are these coins, medals, tokens or just junk? >>

Well, there ARE two junks on the reverse!









Are they the same diameter as the old trade dollars?

trozau

Either they are circulated trade dollars with the reverse silkscreened with an image to commemorate Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 or they are trade Dollar reproductions with the reverse silkscreened with an image to commemorate Hong Kong's return to China in 1997. I would think the latter than the former with China being known for counterfeit copies.

lordmarcovan

I agree. They look more like repro trade dollars. Too prooflike to be originals, not to mention that Britannia looks a bit strange somehow.

Aethelred

They are not originals that have been painted, the date under Britannia is 1997. I saw one in person a few years ago.

ajaan

Cool.

Bailathacl

Paging Danglen......

tbirde56

I remember seeing them in World Coin News when they first came out before Hong Kong was turned over to China . I thought that they were legitimate government issues but maybe not. Strangely they're not in either the Standard Catalog of World Coins or Unusual World Coins catalogs.

Bailathacl

What troubles me is that I somehow own one of these things, got it before I ever owned a Krause catalog.... Now I'm very curious....

Aethelred

<< <i>Strangely they're not in either the Standard Catalog of World Coins or Unusual World Coins catalogs. >>



That was what made me wonder. You'd think it would be in Unusual World Coins at the least. Of course with the record that Krause has had for the last several years it could be that it should be in there, but they left it out.