Lot #691: Hong Kong 1992 One Dollar — Elizabeth II (3rd Portrait) - Crowned British Lion with Pearl - 香港 (Hong Kong) - 壹圓 (One Dollar)

The Hong Kong 1992 One Dollar coin marks the very end of an era for Hong Kong. This was the final year that the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II appeared on Hong Kong’s circulation coins before the design was changed to the Bauhinia flower in 1993, ahead of the 1997 handover to China. Obverse: Features the Third Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen is shown wearing the George IV State Diadem, which she typically wears for the State Opening of Parliament. At the truncation of the neck, the tiny initials RDM stand for Raphael David Maklouf, the sculptor who designed this regal, somewhat idealized portrait used across the Commonwealth from 1985 to the late 90s. (This same portrait appeared on Canadian coins from 1990 to 2002!) Lettering: QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND. Reverse: Features the Crowned British Lion. A standing lion holding a pearl (representing Hong Kong as the "Pearl of the Orient") is positioned above the denomination. This lion is a simplified version of the one found on the colonial-era Coat of Arms. The name of the territory and the value are written in both English (HONG KONG / ONE DOLLAR) and Traditional Chinese (香港 / 壹圓). The Date: 1992 is centered at the bottom. Because these were the last "Queen" coins of Hong Kong, many were kept as souvenirs by residents during the transition period. Dimensions: Copper-Nickel 25.5 mm 7.1 g Pickup category timeslot {A}