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HEAVY DEMAND FOR ROYAL VISIT GOLD COINS
Balloting To Be Done By Computer
Applications for more than 30,000 Royal Visit commemorative
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gold coins have been received from Hong Kong residente far more than the
maximum 20,000 to be minted,a government spokesman disclosed today.
"There are also indications that there will be a good oversens
demand for the commemorative coin, and it is in the general interest of
Hong Kong that an attempt be made to meet a substantial part of this
demand," he added.
The spokesman said it had not yet been decided how many of the
20,000 gold coins would be issued in Hong Kong. "This will be decided
in the course of discussions now taking place with the Royal Mint, which
is responsible for overseas sales."
It would not be possible, he said, to supply a coin to every
applicant because it would be a breach of faith to mint more than the
20,000 coins mentioned in the sales notice.
Those who were unlucky in the ballot for the initial deliveries,
he said, would be invited to take part in a second ballot after the
Royal Visit when additional coins would arrive.
The spokesman said balloting would be done on one of the government's
computers, using a special random number computer programme.
"Because of the very large volume of applications, it is not
possible at this time to say when notifications will be issued," he said.