TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1979
APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY GOLD COIN
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A LIMITED QUANTITY OF $1 000 GOLD COINS WILL BE ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO COMMEMORATE THE COMING LUNAR NEW YEAR, THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY.
THE COIN IS THE FIFTH IN A SERIES THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO ISSUE TO MARK THE 12 LUNAR YEARS WHICH FALL IN THE WESTERN CALENDAR YEARS 1976-87.
PREVIOUS ISSUES IN THE SERIES HAVE BEEN STRICTLY LIMITED TO NOT MORE THAN 30 000 COINS, BUT IN VIEW OF ANTICIPATED STRONG DEMAND FOR THE MONKEY COIN AND BECAUSE THE MARKET FOR THESE COINS HAS EXPANDED NOW THAT UK RESIDENTS MAY OWN GOLD COINS, THE NUMBER TO BE MINTED HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 40 DOD, COMPRISING 13 000 PROOF AND 27 000 UNCIRCULATED COINS.
THE PROOF COINS WHICH HAVE A FROSTED RELIEF ON A MIRROR FINISH BACKGROUND WILL BE SOLD AT $2 400 AND THE BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED VERSION AT $1 600.
IN THE PAST, UNCIRCULATED COINS HAVE BEEN SOLD AT THEIR FACE VALUE OF $1 000 WHILE THE PROOF VERSION HAS BEEN SOLD FOR AN ADDITIONAL $500.
THE PREMIUM OVER THE FACE VALUE OF THE UNCIRCULATED VERSION AND THE HIGHER PRICE FOR THE PROOF COIN REFLECT THE MASSIVE INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF GOLD WHICH HAS RISEN FROM US$133 AN OUNCE IN 1976 WHEN THE DRAGON COIN WAS ISSUED TO WELL ABOVE US$400.
APPLICATION FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) FROM ALL OFFICES OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION AND FROM THE MERCANTILE BANK LIMITED. THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS JANUARY 4, 1980.
TO ENSURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, THE COINS WILL BE RESTRICTED TO ONE COIN PER APPLICATION. COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS SHOULD EITHER BE MAILED TO THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION, CASH DEPARTMENT, BOX 64, G.P.O., HONG KONG OR PRESENTED AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BRANCH OFFICESÍ
1, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG
306, KING'S ROAD, NORTH POINT, HONG KONG
40-45, DES VOEUX ROAD WEST, HONG KONG
42, WONG CHUK HANG ROAD, ABERDEEN, HONG KONG
82, NATHAN ROAD (WAYFOONG HOUSE), KOWLOON
673, NATHAN ROAD, MONG KOK, KOWLOON
1, YUE MAN SQUARE, KWUN TONG, KOWLOON
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