5 Dollars 1975, Hong Kong
| in Krause book | Number: 73b |
| Years of issue: | 01.06.1975 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Unknown signature |
| Serie: | No Serie |
| Specimen of: | 01.06.1975 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 144 x 79 |
| Printer: | Hong Kong Note Printing Limited, Hong Kong |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Helmeted warrior.
Avers:
On left side is the old building of The Chartered Bank, Hong Kong (1957-1987).
The Chartered Bank building was completed on Des Voeux Road, Hong Kong, in 1957. It was the last part of the entire city block of the bank's headquarters in the Art Deco style, all designed by Palmer & Turner.
The building was 60 meters high and consisted of 18 floors. It was demolished in 1987. in 1990, a new bank building was built in its place.
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Centered is the colonial coat of arms of Hongkong, used from 1959 till 1997.
The arms had been in use in Colonial Hong Kong since it was granted on 21 January 1959 and later adopted on the colonial flag in July of that year. The use of the arms by the Hong Kong Government ended in 1997, when it was replaced by the regional emblem. The arms featured two traditional Chinese junks facing each other, and on a red embattled chief a golden naval crown. The crest was a crowned lion holding a pearl, and the supporters were a crowned British lion and a Chinese dragon. The shield and supporters stood on a compartment, consisting of an island, with a scroll bearing the words 'Hong Kong'.
The two junks symbolise the importance of Eastern-type of trade on the sea surrounding the colony. The naval crown symbolises Hong Kong's links with the Navy and the Merchant Navy, and the crenulated line acknowledges the brief but valiant defence of Hong Kong against the Japanese during World War II.
In the crest, the pearl held by the lion indicates the small but precious nature of the Colony. It also recalls the romanticised phrase "Pearl of the Orient" referring to Hong Kong.
The lion and dragon supporters show the British and Chinese connections of Hong Kong. The island symbolises the beginning of the colony as an island and represents the maritime and hilly geography of Hong Kong.
The small lion standing on the crest alone had featured on the reverse of Hong Kong coinage before the introduction of the Bauhinia design in preparation for the transfer of sovereignty in 1997.
The colonial arms has been adopted by a group called the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement (HKAM) as their flag for Hong Kong autonomy. The flag features the old coat of arms against a blue background.
The HKAM felt that supporters of Hong Kong autonomy from China needed a symbol around which they could rally. The flag imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong after the handover was inappropriate, as was the old flag under the British, as both failed to represent true Hong Kong autonomy. The old coat of arms was chosen because it is easily recognisable by people in Hong Kong as representing Hong Kong albeit under the British. The HKAM flag has the old coat of arms in the center against a blue ground whereas the old colonial flag had the coat of arms enclosed with a circle on a blue ground with the Union Jack in the canton. 
Revers:
City Hall complex (香港大會堂) - complex on Edinburgh place, Central district, Hongkong.
The second and current City Hall complex was built in the late 1950s on a 10,000 square meters (110,000 sq. ft.) plot of land on the newly reclaimed seafront, about 200 meters (660 ft.) from the first generation building.
The foundation stone laying ceremony took place on 25 February 1960 with Sir Robert Brown Black, then Governor of Hong Kong, who also presided over the official opening ceremony on 2 March 1962. The City Hall was placed under the responsibility of the Urban Council. It has been listed as a Grade I historic building since 2009.
It was designed between 1956 and 1958 by British architects Ron Phillips and Alan Fitch. With its clean lines and stark geometric forms, the new Hall is an example of the International style fashionable at the time. The structure was constructed using steel and concrete, and much of the equipment was of steel, glass and anodised aluminium.
The two separate blocks and gardens were laid out as a cohesive whole, along a central axis. The entrance to the lower block (exhibition hall) of the City Hall formed an axis with Queen's Pier to lend a sense of occasion to visiting dignitaries. On the façade of the Lower Block once had the old Coat of Arms of Hong Kong, which was removed before the handover in 1997. One major consideration was juxtaposing the city bustle whilst maximising public access to the surrounding area. Thus, the out-sized public areas of the Memorial Gardens and the piazza in front were conceived as a natural extension to promote the "freedom of movement and a sense of unlimited space".
Small coats of arms are shown in all four corners. I wrote about these coats of arms to the head office of Standard Chartered Bank, but so far I have not received a response. So these coats of arms have not yet been identified. These are clearly the coats of arms of some banks, since on the top left, for sure, the coat of arms of the Bank of England, with sitting Britain and a lion.
Today is 9 September 2021. Yesterday, I received an answer from Bank branch in Hongkong, from Mrs. Florence Kwok - want to say to her - thanks a lot!
That is, what she wrote to me:
"First of all, concerning your enquiry on the watermark that there is helmeted warrior, we would like to inform you that the portrait of a helmeted warrior was first appeared in 1930 series banknote without detailed description. Furthermore, for the 4 corners are small coats of arms, you could refer to the following description of SCB banknotes printed before 1993 quoted from “Hong Kong Currency” for your reference.
"The Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China opened a branch in Hong Kong as early as 1859. The bank was known among locals as “Sherwood Bank” after its then manager C.S. Sherwood. All the banknotes that were in circulation before 1993 were printed with the bank’s coat of arms. The reverse of these notes usually featured a crown symbol or Britannia, an elephant, a sheep and a junk to represent Britain, India, Australia and China respectively, symbolising the bank’s scope of business"".
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