XN000022-1982-12-20 — Page 4

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1982

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APPLICATION INVITED FOR YEAR OF THE PIG GOLD COIN

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (MONDAY) ANNOUNCED THE ISSUE OF A LIMITED QUANTITY OF $1 000 GOLD COINS TO MARK THE COMING LUNAR NEW YEAR - THE YEAR OF THE PIG.

APPLICATION FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FROM ALL OFFICES OF THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION AND DISTRICT OFFICES OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION. THE CLOSING DATE AND TIME FOR APPLICATIONS WILL BE JANUARY 5, 1983 AT 4.30 PM.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THIS YEAR, THE PROOF VERSION OF THE COIN IS PRICED AT $3 300 WHILE THE BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED COIN COSTS $2 200.

*THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE IS THE SAME AS THAT OF LAST YEAR IN THAT CHEQUES ON PERSONAL ACCOUNTS ARE ACCEPTED AS WELL AS CASHIER'S ORDERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+HOWEVER, APPLICATIONS ARE RESTRICTED TO RESIDENTS WITH A HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD, IN THE EVENT OF OVER SUBSCRIPTION, ONLY ONE APPLICATION FOR EACH TYPE OF COIN WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE BALLOT FOR ANY ONE HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD HOLDER, HE ADDED.

THE YEAR OF THE PIG GOLD COIN IS THE EIGHTH IN A SERIES TO COMMEMORATE THE 12 LUNAR YEARS WHICH FALL IN THE WESTERN CALENDAR YEARS 1976-87.

WORLD-WIDE MINTAGE FOR EACH COIN IN THE SERIES IS LIMITED, AND THE YEAR OF THE PIG COIN IS NO EXCEPTION. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT 12 000 PROOF AND 15 000 UNCIRCULATED COINS HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS.

UNLIKE THE BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED COIN, THE PROOF VERSION USES A SPECIALLY SELECTED BLANK AND THIS IS STRUCK WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE BETWEEN CAREFULLY PREPARED AND ULTRA SHARP DIES. THIS BLOW PRESSES THE DESIGN ON EACH SIDE OF THE BLANK AND ALSO AROUND THE EDGE.

THE PROOF VERSION IS FURTHER ENHANCED BY AN ATTRACTIVE FROSTING OF THE RELIEF DESIGN AND THIS IS ACHIEVED BY BLASTING THE DIES WITH IMMENSELY HARD PARTICLES. THE TABLE OF THE PROOF COIN DIE IS PAINSTAKINGLY POLISHED WITH DIAMOND PASTE TO ACHIEVE A MIRROR-LIKE FINISH. THE COIN IS THEN IMPRESSED WITH EXTRA FIRM PRESSURE TO ENSURE THE CLARITY OF DETAIL THAT IS UNIQUE TO PROOF COINS,

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT, AS IN THE PAST, THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THE COIN WILL BE PUT INTO A SPECIAL COIN SUSPENSE ACCOUNT WHICH HELPS TO FINANCE SPECIAL PUBLIC PROJECTS FOR THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

A TOTAL OF $70 MILLION FROM GOLD COIN PROF ITS HAD BEEN USED

TO FINANCE THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS:

$15 MILLION QUEEN ELIZABETH STADIUM

$55 MILLION SILVER JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE

AND INITIALLY $33 MILLION HAD BEEN SET ASIDE TO PURCHASE FLATS TO PROVIDE HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY.

GAUKISHAN