a) The largest value banknote in Hong Kong
The largest value banknote in Hong Kong is $1000 which is in golden colour. So in Chinese slang, people will call the $1000 banknote as ‘Golden Cow’. In Hong Kong, three banks are authorized to issue banknotes which are Bank of China (HK) Ltd , The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Standard Chartered Bank (HK) Ltd. Recently, some shops are reluctant to receive $1000 banknotes from purchasers since counterfeit notes are prevalent.
b) The smallest value coin in Hong Kong
Nowadays, the smallest value coin in Hong Kong is 10 cents. It is issued by Hong Kong SAR Government. Before 1992, “Queen Head” logo was casted on the coins as design which was also a signature of the colonial era of Hong Kong. From May 1994, all newly issued 10 cents were casted with Bauhinia flower instead of Queen Head carrying a symbolic meaning that Hong Kong is no longer a British colony after 30 June 1997. Therefore, both Queen Head design and Bauhinia flower design are being used until now. Since the launch of Octopus Cards, people seldom use coins for daily transactions so it is no surprise that 10 cents coins may disappear gradually in Hong Kong market sooner or later.
