CONVERSION OF BRITISH CURRENCY ORDINANCE
Title
CONVERSION OF BRITISH CURRENCY ORDINANCE
Description
Conversion of British Currency.
No. 1 of 1864.
An Ordinance to provide for conversion of British Currency in
all payments by or to tine Government.
[16th January, 1864.]
pHEREAS Her Majesty has been pleased to issue a Proclamation
dated the 9th day of January, 1863, and published in the Iiong-
kong Government Gazette of the 2nd day of May, 1863, whereby it was
declared that from and after a day to be fixed by the Governor or Officer
Administering the Government of Hongkonn a certain Proclamation by
Her Majesty published at Hongltong on the 1st day of May, 1845, and
so much of certain other Proclamations published at Hongkong on the
2ith day of April, 1853, and the 9th day of July; 1857, respectively as
find effect arid were in force in the said Island of Hongkong should -be
revoked and annulled. and that from and after the same date the dollar
of Mexico or other silver dollar of equivalent value as might from time
to time be authorized by the Governor or Officer Administering the
Government of pIongkong should be the only legal tender of payment,
(except as therein directed and hereinafter recited) within the said
Island
of Hongkong and its dependencies: And that such silver coins as
might be issued from Her Majesty's Mint representing some multiple of
the cent or one hundredth hart of the said dollar should be legal ten dem
of payment for any sum not exceeding two dollars and that such copper,
or bronze coins as might be issued from Her Majesty's Mint representing
the cent or one hundredth part or the mil or cash representing one
thousandth part of the said dollar should be legal tender of payment for,
any; sum not exceeding one .dollar : And that the silver and copper-
coins to ~e issued from Her Majesty's ','Mint as aforesaid should be pre-
pared as follows
The 'silver pieces of money should be prepared of silver containing
twenty per cent of alloy. Every such- piece should have for the obverse
ORDINANCE Not OF 1864..
Conversion of British Cearency;
impression Her Majesty's effigy crowned with the inscription 'Victoria,
Queen' and for the reverse impression an inscription indicating the value
of the piece in cents of a dollar with the words ' Hongkong ' and the
date of the year, and the same inscription repeated in Chinese characters
;
A copper piece representing one hundredth part of a dollar should
leave for the obverse impression Her Majesty's effigy crowned with the
inscription ' Victoria Queen,' and for the reverse impression the in-
scription 'Ogle Cent---Hongkong' with the date of the year, and the
same inscription repeated in Chinese characters ;
Another copper piece representin(r one thousandth part of a dollar
should be perforated in the centre and hive for the obverse impression
the inscription 'V.r.' surmounted by a crown with ' Hongkong-One
Mil' and the date of the year, and f>r the reverse impression the in-
scription 'Hongkong-One Cash or One Mil,' represented in Chinese
characters
And whereas no such day has been fixed by Proclamation as the
clay for the purposes in Her Majesty's said Proelarnation named to take
effect but such day will be named as soon as conveniently may be : Now
be it enacted and ordained by Ills Excellency the Acting Governor of
Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:
1. From and after the day to be filed by His Excellency the Gov-
ernor or Officer Administering the Government under the power by Her
said Kajeqty's Proclamation vested in him whenever British sterling has
been or shall have been or shall be specified in any Ordinance of this
Colony whether as payments to be made to or by the Government of
this Colony, such payments shall be made in dollars and in such mul-
tiples of the cent and mil or cash and in cents and mils or cash as shall
be so issued from Her Majesty's Mint as aforesaid only at the rate of
four shillings and two pence to each dollar.
Governo'r's Proclamation of the 22nd January 1864.
WHEREAS by the Order of Her Majesty in Council dated the 9th day of
January 1863,
aProclamation was approved for the regulation of the currency in this
Colony, wherein
it was (amongst other things) declared and ordained that certain matters
ill the said Pro-
clamation contained should take effect and come into force from and after
a day to be
fiked by the Governor or Officer. Administering the, Government, as by
the said Proclama-
tion reference; being thereunto bad will more fully appear ; and whereas
the -said Proclax
ester gate to
be notified br
Proclamation
where pay-
ments to or
by' Govern-
ment are by
Ordinance
payable in
British ster-
ling same to
be in dollars
3cp.., :tt 4s. 2d..
ORDINAN CI': No. I or . 1'864.
Conversion of British Currency.
mation was published in this Colony in the Government Gazette of the 2nd
day of May,.
1°863: Now, therefore, I, WILLIAM TI1011fAS MTRCRR, Esquire, being the
Officer Admin-
istering the Government of the Colony, do hereby fix the 16th day of
February now
next ensuing as the day from and after which the matters contained in the
Proclamation
aforesaid shall take effect and come into force within the Colony of
Hongkong.
Order and Proclamation of ller Alnjesty in Council of the 9th. January
1863
referred to above. (See Gazette 2nd 11 Tay 1863.)
WFIERRAS by an Order in Council bearing date the 28th day of November,
1844, We
were pleased, by .end with the advice of our Privy Council, to approve of
the draft of a
Proclamation declaring certain coins to be a legal tender of payment
within our Colony
of Hongkong at certain rates therein specified, which Proclamation -vas
published on the
1st clay of May, 1845, at Hongkong by the Governor and
Commander-in-Chief, and came
into force from that date, and whereas by an Order in Council bearing
date the 16th day
of October, 1852, We were pleased, by and with the advice of our Privy
Council, to
approve of the draft of a Proclamation declaring that the silver coins of
our United King-
dom shall not be a legal tender in payment of sums exceeding forty
shillings within anal
throughout our Colonies in Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, Mauritius and
Hongkong,
which Proclamation was published on the 27th clay of April, 1853, at
Hongkong by the
Governor, and came into force on the 1st day of October, 1853 ; And
whereas by ail
Order in Council bearing date the 22nd day of October, 1856, We were
pleased, by and
with the advice of our Privy Council, to approve of the draft of a
Proclamation declaring
the rates at which certain gold coins called Australian Sovereigns arid
Half Sovereigns
which are struck at the Branch of our Royal Mint at Sydney, in New South
Wales, are to
pass current in our Colonies of Ceylon, Mauritius, and Hongkong, which
Proclamation
was published on the 9th day of July 1857, at Hongkong by the Governor,
and came into
force from the 11 th day of July, 1857.
Now W e by the advice of our Privy Council have thought fit to declare
and ordain
and by the advice aforesaid We do hereby declare and ordain that from and
after a clay to be
fixed by the Governor or Officer Administering the Government of Hongkong
by Proclama-
tion the said hereiubefore recited Proclamation published at Hongkono on
the I st day of
May, 1845, and so much of the Proclamations published at Hongkong on the
27th day of
April, 1853, and 9th clay of July, 1857, respectively as have effect arid
are in force in the
said Island of Hongkong shall be revoked and annulled.
And We do hereby further declare and ordain that from and after the same
date the
Dollar of Mexico or other .silver Dollar of equivalent value as may from
time to time be
atxthbrized by the Governor or Officer Administering the Government of
Hongkong slia11
by the onlyllegal tender of payment (except as hereinafter directed)
within our said Island
of Hongkong and its dependencies
And we do hereby further ordain and declare that such silver coins as may
be issued
from our Miut representing some multiple of the cent or one hundredth
hart of the sail
No. 1 of 1864.
Conversion of British Currency.
Dollar shall be legal tender o£ payment for any sum not exceeding two
dollars and such
copper or bronze coins as may, be issued from our Mint representing the
cent or ono hun-
dredth part. or the mil or cash representing one thousandth part of the
said Dollar shall be
legal tender of payment for any sum not exceeding one dollar:
And we do hereby farther ordain and declare drat the silver and copper
coins to be
issued from our Mint as aforesaid shall be prepared as follows:-
The silver pieces of money shall be prepared of silver containing twenty
per cent of
alloy. Every such piece shall have for the obverse impression our effigy
crowned, with the
inscription ' Victoria Queen' and for the reverse impression an
inscription indicating the
value of tire piece in cents of a dollar with the words ' Hongkonb' and
tire date of the
year, and the same inscription repeated in Chinese characters.
A copper piece representing ono hundredth part of a dollar shall have for
tire obverse
impression our effigy crowned, -with tire inscription ' Victoria Queen'
and for the reverse
impression the inscription 'One Cent IIongkorrri ' with the date of the
year, and the same
inscription repeated in Chinese characters.
Another copper piece representing one thousandth part of a dollar sliall
be perforated
in the centre, and haw for tire obverse inpression the insl:riptioir
I'V.R.' surmounted by
rt Crown, with 'Ilongkong, One ZIi1' and the date of the year, and for
the reverse im-
prossion the inscription Hongkong One Cash or Ono Mil represented in
Chinese characters.
572
Title.
Preamble.
After date to be notified by Proclamation where payments to or by Governor are by Ordinance payable in Brtish sterling same to be in dollars, &c., at 4s. 2d.
575
No. 1 of 1864.
An Ordinance to provide for conversion of British Currency in
all payments by or to tine Government.
[16th January, 1864.]
pHEREAS Her Majesty has been pleased to issue a Proclamation
dated the 9th day of January, 1863, and published in the Iiong-
kong Government Gazette of the 2nd day of May, 1863, whereby it was
declared that from and after a day to be fixed by the Governor or Officer
Administering the Government of Hongkonn a certain Proclamation by
Her Majesty published at Hongltong on the 1st day of May, 1845, and
so much of certain other Proclamations published at Hongkong on the
2ith day of April, 1853, and the 9th day of July; 1857, respectively as
find effect arid were in force in the said Island of Hongkong should -be
revoked and annulled. and that from and after the same date the dollar
of Mexico or other silver dollar of equivalent value as might from time
to time be authorized by the Governor or Officer Administering the
Government of pIongkong should be the only legal tender of payment,
(except as therein directed and hereinafter recited) within the said
Island
of Hongkong and its dependencies: And that such silver coins as
might be issued from Her Majesty's Mint representing some multiple of
the cent or one hundredth hart of the said dollar should be legal ten dem
of payment for any sum not exceeding two dollars and that such copper,
or bronze coins as might be issued from Her Majesty's Mint representing
the cent or one hundredth part or the mil or cash representing one
thousandth part of the said dollar should be legal tender of payment for,
any; sum not exceeding one .dollar : And that the silver and copper-
coins to ~e issued from Her Majesty's ','Mint as aforesaid should be pre-
pared as follows
The 'silver pieces of money should be prepared of silver containing
twenty per cent of alloy. Every such- piece should have for the obverse
ORDINANCE Not OF 1864..
Conversion of British Cearency;
impression Her Majesty's effigy crowned with the inscription 'Victoria,
Queen' and for the reverse impression an inscription indicating the value
of the piece in cents of a dollar with the words ' Hongkong ' and the
date of the year, and the same inscription repeated in Chinese characters
;
A copper piece representing one hundredth part of a dollar should
leave for the obverse impression Her Majesty's effigy crowned with the
inscription ' Victoria Queen,' and for the reverse impression the in-
scription 'Ogle Cent---Hongkong' with the date of the year, and the
same inscription repeated in Chinese characters ;
Another copper piece representin(r one thousandth part of a dollar
should be perforated in the centre and hive for the obverse impression
the inscription 'V.r.' surmounted by a crown with ' Hongkong-One
Mil' and the date of the year, and f>r the reverse impression the in-
scription 'Hongkong-One Cash or One Mil,' represented in Chinese
characters
And whereas no such day has been fixed by Proclamation as the
clay for the purposes in Her Majesty's said Proelarnation named to take
effect but such day will be named as soon as conveniently may be : Now
be it enacted and ordained by Ills Excellency the Acting Governor of
Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:
1. From and after the day to be filed by His Excellency the Gov-
ernor or Officer Administering the Government under the power by Her
said Kajeqty's Proclamation vested in him whenever British sterling has
been or shall have been or shall be specified in any Ordinance of this
Colony whether as payments to be made to or by the Government of
this Colony, such payments shall be made in dollars and in such mul-
tiples of the cent and mil or cash and in cents and mils or cash as shall
be so issued from Her Majesty's Mint as aforesaid only at the rate of
four shillings and two pence to each dollar.
Governo'r's Proclamation of the 22nd January 1864.
WHEREAS by the Order of Her Majesty in Council dated the 9th day of
January 1863,
aProclamation was approved for the regulation of the currency in this
Colony, wherein
it was (amongst other things) declared and ordained that certain matters
ill the said Pro-
clamation contained should take effect and come into force from and after
a day to be
fiked by the Governor or Officer. Administering the, Government, as by
the said Proclama-
tion reference; being thereunto bad will more fully appear ; and whereas
the -said Proclax
ester gate to
be notified br
Proclamation
where pay-
ments to or
by' Govern-
ment are by
Ordinance
payable in
British ster-
ling same to
be in dollars
3cp.., :tt 4s. 2d..
ORDINAN CI': No. I or . 1'864.
Conversion of British Currency.
mation was published in this Colony in the Government Gazette of the 2nd
day of May,.
1°863: Now, therefore, I, WILLIAM TI1011fAS MTRCRR, Esquire, being the
Officer Admin-
istering the Government of the Colony, do hereby fix the 16th day of
February now
next ensuing as the day from and after which the matters contained in the
Proclamation
aforesaid shall take effect and come into force within the Colony of
Hongkong.
Order and Proclamation of ller Alnjesty in Council of the 9th. January
1863
referred to above. (See Gazette 2nd 11 Tay 1863.)
WFIERRAS by an Order in Council bearing date the 28th day of November,
1844, We
were pleased, by .end with the advice of our Privy Council, to approve of
the draft of a
Proclamation declaring certain coins to be a legal tender of payment
within our Colony
of Hongkong at certain rates therein specified, which Proclamation -vas
published on the
1st clay of May, 1845, at Hongkong by the Governor and
Commander-in-Chief, and came
into force from that date, and whereas by an Order in Council bearing
date the 16th day
of October, 1852, We were pleased, by and with the advice of our Privy
Council, to
approve of the draft of a Proclamation declaring that the silver coins of
our United King-
dom shall not be a legal tender in payment of sums exceeding forty
shillings within anal
throughout our Colonies in Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, Mauritius and
Hongkong,
which Proclamation was published on the 27th clay of April, 1853, at
Hongkong by the
Governor, and came into force on the 1st day of October, 1853 ; And
whereas by ail
Order in Council bearing date the 22nd day of October, 1856, We were
pleased, by and
with the advice of our Privy Council, to approve of the draft of a
Proclamation declaring
the rates at which certain gold coins called Australian Sovereigns arid
Half Sovereigns
which are struck at the Branch of our Royal Mint at Sydney, in New South
Wales, are to
pass current in our Colonies of Ceylon, Mauritius, and Hongkong, which
Proclamation
was published on the 9th day of July 1857, at Hongkong by the Governor,
and came into
force from the 11 th day of July, 1857.
Now W e by the advice of our Privy Council have thought fit to declare
and ordain
and by the advice aforesaid We do hereby declare and ordain that from and
after a clay to be
fixed by the Governor or Officer Administering the Government of Hongkong
by Proclama-
tion the said hereiubefore recited Proclamation published at Hongkono on
the I st day of
May, 1845, and so much of the Proclamations published at Hongkong on the
27th day of
April, 1853, and 9th clay of July, 1857, respectively as have effect arid
are in force in the
said Island of Hongkong shall be revoked and annulled.
And We do hereby further declare and ordain that from and after the same
date the
Dollar of Mexico or other .silver Dollar of equivalent value as may from
time to time be
atxthbrized by the Governor or Officer Administering the Government of
Hongkong slia11
by the onlyllegal tender of payment (except as hereinafter directed)
within our said Island
of Hongkong and its dependencies
And we do hereby further ordain and declare that such silver coins as may
be issued
from our Miut representing some multiple of the cent or one hundredth
hart of the sail
No. 1 of 1864.
Conversion of British Currency.
Dollar shall be legal tender o£ payment for any sum not exceeding two
dollars and such
copper or bronze coins as may, be issued from our Mint representing the
cent or ono hun-
dredth part. or the mil or cash representing one thousandth part of the
said Dollar shall be
legal tender of payment for any sum not exceeding one dollar:
And we do hereby farther ordain and declare drat the silver and copper
coins to be
issued from our Mint as aforesaid shall be prepared as follows:-
The silver pieces of money shall be prepared of silver containing twenty
per cent of
alloy. Every such piece shall have for the obverse impression our effigy
crowned, with the
inscription ' Victoria Queen' and for the reverse impression an
inscription indicating the
value of tire piece in cents of a dollar with the words ' Hongkonb' and
tire date of the
year, and the same inscription repeated in Chinese characters.
A copper piece representing ono hundredth part of a dollar shall have for
tire obverse
impression our effigy crowned, -with tire inscription ' Victoria Queen'
and for the reverse
impression the inscription 'One Cent IIongkorrri ' with the date of the
year, and the same
inscription repeated in Chinese characters.
Another copper piece representing one thousandth part of a dollar sliall
be perforated
in the centre, and haw for tire obverse inpression the insl:riptioir
I'V.R.' surmounted by
rt Crown, with 'Ilongkong, One ZIi1' and the date of the year, and for
the reverse im-
prossion the inscription Hongkong One Cash or Ono Mil represented in
Chinese characters.
572
Title.
Preamble.
After date to be notified by Proclamation where payments to or by Governor are by Ordinance payable in Brtish sterling same to be in dollars, &c., at 4s. 2d.
575
Abstract
572
Title.
Preamble.
After date to be notified by Proclamation where payments to or by Governor are by Ordinance payable in Brtish sterling same to be in dollars, &c., at 4s. 2d.
575
Title.
Preamble.
After date to be notified by Proclamation where payments to or by Governor are by Ordinance payable in Brtish sterling same to be in dollars, &c., at 4s. 2d.
575
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/188
Edition
1890
Volume
v1
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 1 of 1864
Number of Pages
4
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“CONVERSION OF BRITISH CURRENCY ORDINANCE,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed March 5, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/188.
