15
-
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1977
COLLECTOR'S CABINET FOR GOLD COINS BEING CONSIDERED
******
THE GOVERNMENT WILL PRODUCE FOR SALE A COLLECTOR'S CABINET FOR HONG KONG GOLD COINS IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT DEMAND FOR IT.
A PROTOTYPE CABINET HAS BEEN PRODUCED FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE NEW POST OFFICE BUILDING AT CONNAUGHT PLACE.
IT CONTAINS RECESSES FOR 14 GOLD COINS THREE OF WHICH HAVE SO FAR BEEN ISSUED TO COMMEMORATE THE ROYAL VISIT IN 1975, THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON (1976) AND THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE (1977).
THE NEXT COIN, TO MARK THE YEAR OF THE HORSE, WILL BE ISSUED IN 1978. IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY NINE FURTHER ANNUAL ISSUES TO COMPLETE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR CYCLE.
THE PROTOTYPE HAS A POLISHED TEAK EXTERIOR WITH A LEATHER INSERT IN THE LID WHICH COULD BE USED TO FEATURE A GOLD-TOOLED DECORATION, PROBABLY OF HONG KONG'S COAT-OF-ARMS.
PLASTIC FORMINGS IN THE LID AND BASE SECTIONS OF THE PROTOTYPE ARE MADE FROM STYRENE WHICH HAS BEEN FLOCKED SPRAYED WITH A RICH BROWN VELVET TEXTURE FINISH.
THE BASE IS PROVIDED WITH 14 COIN WELLS DESIGNED TO TAKE SCREW-TOP CAPSULE COIN CONTAINERS AND A RECESS TO ACCOMMODATE THE BOOKLETS WHICH ARE ISSUED WITH EACH COIN.
THREE OF THESE CAPSULE CONTAINERS WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH THE CABINET FOR THE COINS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. ALL FUTURE GOLD COINS WOULD THEN BE ISSUED IN CAPSULE CONTAINERS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID +A FIRM PRICE FOR THE COLLECTOR'S CABINET HAS NOT YET BEEN DECIDED AS THIS WILL DEPEND ON MANUFACTURING COSTS AND THE NUMBER OF ORDERS PLACED.
+AT A ROUGH GUESS, HOWEVER, THE PURCHASE PRICE WOULD PROBABLY AMOUNT TO BETWEEN $300 AND $400.+
FORMS ON WHICH GOLD COIN COLLECTORS CAN INDICATE WHETHER THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A CABINET CAN BE OBTAINED FROM COUNTER STAFF AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE. THESE SHOULD BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED TO THE DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING SERVICES, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, HONG KONG.
+ IT MUST BE EMPHASISED THAT THESE FORMS ARE NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLACING ORDERS,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID, +AS THE SOLE INTENTION AT THIS STAGE IS TO ESTABLISH WHETHER THERE IS ENOUGH INTEREST TO MAKE THE PRODUCTION OF A COLLECTOR'S CABINET A VIABLE PROPOSITION.+
HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT DECIDE TO INVITE ADVANCE ORDERS, IN WHICH CASE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF CABINETS WOULD BE PRODUCED.
/IT MIGHT