5 dollars 1970
About This Note
A pristine uncirculated example of the 1970 Hong Kong Chartered Bank 5 Dollar note (Pick 73b1), printed by Thomas de la Rue. The obverse features the bank's distinctive coat of arms with heraldic dragons and a modern office building illustration in brown and tan tones, while the reverse depicts a waterfront harbor scene with contemporary architecture and mountain backdrop. This note exemplifies the high-quality intaglio engraving characteristic of de la Rue's security printing, with sharp detail and vibrant color rendering throughout.
Common. The Chartered Bank 5 Dollar notes from the 1970-1975 series were issued in substantial quantities to serve Hong Kong's economy during a period of growth. No evidence exists of restricted print runs, early recalls, or short-lived issuer status for this Pick number. Uncirculated examples, while always more desirable than circulated notes, remain readily available in the collector market, and this denomination and issuer combination does not command premium pricing.
This note represents the Chartered Bank's continued role in Hong Kong's financial system during the 1970s, a period of significant economic growth in the colony. The modern waterfront building depicted on the reverse—likely representing City Hall or a similar government/institutional building—reflects Hong Kong's post-war development and modernization. The prominently displayed Royal Charter date of 1853 on the obverse emphasizes the bank's long-established authority, dating to the colonial era and the bank's foundational role in Hong Kong's commercial infrastructure.
The obverse features the Chartered Bank coat of arms—a heraldic emblem incorporating dragons and a shield with geometric patterns—positioned centrally with red and gold accents. To the left is an illustration of a modern multi-story office building with regular grid-pattern windows, rendered in fine intaglio line work typical of de la Rue's security printing. The reverse depicts a harbor or waterfront scene with a contemporary building complex on the right side and a mountain peak visible in the background, suggesting a Hong Kong harbor vista. All four corners of the reverse contain circular medallions with heraldic or emblematic designs. The overall color palette is brown, tan, and cream with gray tones, creating a dignified and authoritative appearance befitting a colonial-era bank note.
FRONT: Chinese text '行銀打憲' (The Chartered Bank - stylized characters); '香港' (Hong Kong). English text: 'INCORPORATED BY: ROYAL CHARTER 1853', 'THE CHARTERED BANK', 'Promises to pay the bearer on demand at its office here', 'FIVE DOLLARS', 'or the equivalent in the Currency of the Colony. Value Received', 'HONG KONG', 'By Order of the Court of Directors', 'ACCOUNTANT', 'CHIEF MANAGER IN HONG KONG', 'THOMAS DE LA RUE COMPANY, LIMITED'. Chinese denomination: '圓伍' (Five Dollars). Serial number: K092833. BACK: '5' and '伍' (Five) in both English and Chinese formats. 'THE CHARTERED BANK', 'FIVE DOLLARS', 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY, LIMITED'.
Intaglio engraving (recess printing) by Thomas de la Rue & Company, Limited, London. The fine line work visible throughout the building illustrations, landscape scene, decorative borders, and heraldic elements is characteristic of high-security intaglio production. The crisp detail retention and vibrant color registration in the uncirculated example demonstrate the quality control standards maintained by this security printer during this period.
This example carries serial number K092833 with the K prefix. The 1970 Chartered Bank 5 Dollar notes exist with various serial number prefixes and combinations. Pick 73b1 designation indicates this is the second variety of the 1970 issue. The visual analysis identifies Thomas de la Rue as the printer, consistent with catalog records. No distinctive overprints, date variations, or signature varieties are noted in the visual examination of this particular specimen.
