G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
20
機密
50.
The Mass Transit Railway Provisional Authority informed us that automatic fare collection equipment will be installed in the Mass Transit Railway System. A report in the Hong Kong Standard dated 20th May indicated that the Mass Transit Authority had rejected shaped coins as being unsuitable for the ticket machines they were thinking of acquiring. However, as it is unlikely that the Authority would base their plans on coins of denominations not in existence at the present time and as it is only new coins which will be shaped it is unlikely that the Mass Transit Authority will have any insuperable problems with the Committee's recommendations. If the Authority's fare structure uses a coin of the denomination which we propose is shaped, then the problem might be overcome by the introduction of tokens. We understand that tokens are used on the New York and other subway systems. Alternatively the shaped $2 coin could, when the existing $1 coins have been replaced by smaller and lighter coins, be withdrawn from circulation and replaced by a round coin.
51.
It can be seen from the above summary that several organisations are planning or considering the installation of automatic collection devices and coin-operated machines. In addition to the Mint 's comments on coin-counting machines, we have determined from the Royal Mint paper that shaped coins do not present insoluble problems regarding the utilization of vending machines. However, they generally add to the cost and make more difficult the design of reliable mechanisms for vending machines (paragraph 9 of Mint paper refers.)
52.
One final factor affecting distinguishability remains to be considered which is the type of edge. Our present coins have milled edges (sometimes called reeded edges.) Alternatives are plain edges, raised or incused lettered edges or grooved "security" edges. A security edge was formerly a feature of the Colony's coins but this
was abandoned in 1971. The Royal Mint 's advice on edges is set out in paragraphs 9 and 10 of the paper at Appendix 2. We do not consider that distinctive edges could resolve the problem of distinguishing newly-introduced denominations from the existing range of coins. We recommend that the edges of round coins should be milled as this
slightly increases security and does not add to the cost, and those of shaped coins, plain as recommended by the Royal Mint.
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CONFIDENTIAL
機密
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