When Dave and I recently sorted through a bunch of change we brought back from the US after Christmas, we noticed a new style of penny (at least it was new to us!). In Hong Kong, we probably wouldn’t be able to tell if money had a new style or not. And, that’s not just because we are still (sort of) new here…but because there is no single “look” for the printed currency.
In Hong Kong, the government and three private banks print bills of all denominations. While the private printing is overseen by the monetary authority, there is a huge variety in what bills look like. Here’s just a sampling of $20 bills:
In Hong Kong, the government and three private banks print bills of all denominations. While the private printing is overseen by the monetary authority, there is a huge variety in what bills look like. Here’s just a sampling of $20 bills:
While it really doesn’t make a big difference what the currency looks like, it does mean that you have to pay attention when you pay in cash. I was reminded of this today, in fact - I couldn’t understand what the cashier was waiting for when I gave her a green bill, thinking it was a $50 bill…only to discover it was a $10 bill. I had come to believe that ten dollar bills are always pink and purple. But, I suppose that would make at least one thing here predictable...and we wouldn't want that to happen, right?!
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