Obverse. Photo © Stack's Bowers Galleries
  • 1 Dollar 1866-1868, KM# 10, Hong Kong, Victoria
  • 1 Dollar 1866-1868, KM# 10, Hong Kong, Victoria
Description

Victoria (1819–1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she adopted the additional title of Empress of India. She inherited the throne at the age of 18, after her father's three elder brothers had all died, leaving no surviving legitimate children. Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840. Their nine children married into royal and noble families across the continent, tying them together and earning her the sobriquet "the grandmother of Europe". Her reign of 63 years and seven months is known as the Victorian era and was longer than that of any of her predecessors. It was a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire.

Struck at the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Mint. It was hoped that these coins would be adopted for circulation in China but this did not happen, although permission was granted for the coins to be used in payment of tax to China.

Obverse

Diademed head of Queen Victoria, neck bare, facing left; around within a scroll border of key pattern, above, VICTORIA; below, QUEEN.

William Theed produced a portrait medallion of Queen Victoria from a personal sitting which was adapted by Leonard Charles Wyon.

VICTORIA
QUEEN

Reverse

At centre a Chinese labyrinth pattern; around within individual compartments four Chinese characters (name and value: top 香 (Hong); left: 圓 (Dollar); right: 壹 (one); bottom: 港 (Kong)); around inscription in English and date; around all, a key pattern border.

Owen Jones developed the Chinese labyrinth design, the dies were cut by Leonard Charles Wyon.

ONE DOLLAR

圓 壹

HONG KONG 1868

Edge
Characteristics
Material Silver
Fineness 0.900
Weight 26.9568 g
Diameter 38 mm
Thickness 2.8 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Hong Kong Mint

Related coins

1st portrait

Cupronickel, 11.7 g, ⌀ 29.8 mm
2nd portrait

Cupronickel, 7.1 g, ⌀ 25.5 mm
3rd portrait

Cupronickel, 7.1 g, ⌀ 25.5 mm