{"product_id":"hong-kong-p-182-10-dollars-hsbc-1959-83-vf-very-fine-plus-queen-elizabeth-ii-copy","title":"Hong Kong P-182h 10 Dollars HSBC 1982 or -83 AU—Almost Uncirculated—Queen Elizabeth II","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is one of the most iconic colonial-era banknotes ever issued — a \u003cstrong\u003eQueen Elizabeth II\u003c\/strong\u003e portrait note from the legendary \u003cstrong\u003eHong Kong \u0026amp; Shanghai Banking Corporation\u003c\/strong\u003e, spanning a quarter-century of Hong Kong's transformation into a global financial powerhouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFront\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Black engraving on multicolor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePortrait:\u003c\/strong\u003e Queen Elizabeth II facing right, in formal attire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuer text:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePromise text:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Promises to pay the Bearer on demand at its Office here TEN DOLLARS or the equivalent in the Currency of the Colony, Value received.\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"10\" in numerals at left and right; \"TEN DOLLARS\" in text\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChinese text:\u003c\/strong\u003e 香港上海滙豐銀行 (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation); 拾圓 (Ten Dollars)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two signatures: Manager and General Manager (vary by variety)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSerial number:\u003c\/strong\u003e Varies by variety (2-letter suffix, 2-letter prefix, or fractional prefix depending on date)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBack\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Green on multicolor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDenomination:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"10\" and \"拾\" (ten) prominently displayed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuer text:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION\" in English; 拾 (ten) in Chinese\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesign:\u003c\/strong\u003e Geometric guilloche patterns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Characteristics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarieties:\u003c\/strong\u003e \n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182a — 2-letter serial suffix (1959–1963)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182b — 2-letter serial suffix (1963)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182c — 2-letter serial suffix (1964)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182d — 2-letter serial suffix (1964)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182e — 2-letter serial suffix (1965–1967)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182f — 2-letter serial suffix (1968–1969)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eP-182g — 2-letter serial suffix or prefix (1970–1976)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eP-182h — 2-letter or fractional serial prefix (1977–1983) \u0026lt;-- this note\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog numbers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pick P-182; Numista N#203464\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatermark:\u003c\/strong\u003e Helmeted warrior\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 152 × 85 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIssuing entity:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Hong Kong \u0026amp; Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bradbury,_Wilkinson_and_Company\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBradbury Wilkinson and Company\u003c\/a\u003e, United Kingdom\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Demonetization_(currency)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDemonetized\u003c\/a\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCurrency:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hong Kong Dollar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Bank That Built Hong Kong\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HSBC\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHong Kong \u0026amp; Shanghai Banking Corporation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e was founded in \u003cstrong\u003e1865\u003c\/strong\u003e — not in London, not in New York, but right on the waterfront of Hong Kong itself, by a group of merchants who were tired of waiting for European banks to serve Asian trade. It was a radical idea: a bank headquartered in Asia, for Asia. Within a decade it was managing government accounts, issuing currency, and financing the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Opium_trade_in_colonial_Hong_Kong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eopium\u003c\/a\u003e, tea, and silk trades that made the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pearl_River_Delta\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePearl River Delta\u003c\/a\u003e the center of global commerce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time this note was first issued in \u003cstrong\u003e1959\u003c\/strong\u003e, HSBC was already a century old and had survived two world wars, a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Japanese_occupation_of_Hong_Kong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eJapanese occupation\u003c\/a\u003e, and the Communist revolution on the mainland. The bank's right to issue currency — a privilege it shares with only two other institutions in Hong Kong — is one of the most unusual arrangements in modern banking. These notes are not government money. They are \u003cstrong\u003eprivate bank promises\u003c\/strong\u003e, backed by the bank's own reserves and reputation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eQueen Elizabeth II and the Last Days of Empire\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe portrait on this note is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Elizabeth_II\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQueen Elizabeth II\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, who ascended to the throne in \u003cstrong\u003e1952\u003c\/strong\u003e and whose image graced Hong Kong banknotes until the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Handover_of_Hong_Kong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehandover to China\u003c\/a\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003e1997\u003c\/strong\u003e. This particular series spans \u003cstrong\u003e1959 to 1983\u003c\/strong\u003e — from the early optimism of postwar reconstruction through the economic miracle years when Hong Kong became one of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Four_Asian_Tigers\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFour Asian Tigers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe note captures a Hong Kong that no longer exists: a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Crown_colony\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBritish Crown Colony\u003c\/a\u003e of 3 million people that would grow to 6 million by the handover, a city that went from manufacturing \u003cstrong\u003eplastic flowers\u003c\/strong\u003e to trading derivatives, all while this same Queen's face watched from wallets and cash registers across the territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Quarter-Century of Varieties\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes the P-182 series fascinating for collectors is its \u003cstrong\u003elongevity and variety\u003c\/strong\u003e. Issued across 24 years with at least 8 sub-varieties (P-182a through P-182h), the serial number format itself evolved — from 2-letter suffixes in the early years to 2-letter prefixes and eventually fractional prefixes as the note population grew. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bradbury,_Wilkinson_and_Company\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBradbury Wilkinson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e printing is exquisite: the \u003cstrong\u003ehelmeted warrior watermark\u003c\/strong\u003e, the fine-line \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Guilloch%C3%A9\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eguilloche\u003c\/a\u003e on the reverse, and the crisp engraved portrait are hallmarks of one of Britain's greatest security printers, which closed its doors in \u003cstrong\u003e1990\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Hong Kong\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Hong Kong\" derives from the Cantonese 香港 (\u003cem\u003eHeung Gong\u003c\/em\u003e), meaning \"fragrant harbour\" — likely a reference to the incense trade or the sweet water of the Aberdeen area\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCapital:\u003c\/strong\u003e Victoria (historical colonial capital); de facto administrative center is now Central, Hong Kong Island\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin of name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Named after \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Queen_Victoria\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eQueen Victoria\u003c\/a\u003e, reigning monarch at the time of British settlement in 1841\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePopulation:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~7.5 million (UN 2024) — comparable to Switzerland or Virginia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,114 km² (430 mi²) — comparable to Los Angeles city proper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGDP per capita (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Purchasing_power_parity\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePPP\u003c\/a\u003e):\u003c\/strong\u003e ~$73,000 (IMF 2024) — among the highest in Asia, comparable to the United States\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMain exports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Electronics, machinery, gold, jewelry, apparel; major re-export hub for mainland China\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBorders:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mainland China (Guangdong Province) to the north; South China Sea to the east, south, and west\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEthnicities:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hongkongers\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eChinese\/Hongkongers\u003c\/a\u003e (~92%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Filipinos_in_Hong_Kong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eFilipino\u003c\/a\u003e (~2.5%), \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indonesians_in_Hong_Kong\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eIndonesian\u003c\/a\u003e (~2%), others\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemberships:\u003c\/strong\u003e World Trade Organization (1995); Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC, 1991); International Olympic Committee (as \"Hong Kong, China,\" 1951)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSovereignty:\u003c\/strong\u003e British Crown Colony (1842–1997); Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (1997–present, \"one country, two systems\" until at least 2047)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHong Kong Unfiltered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe freest economy on Earth\u003c\/strong\u003e — for decades Hong Kong topped the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Index_of_Economic_Freedom\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHeritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom\u003c\/a\u003e, a city with no tariffs, no capital controls, and a flat tax that would make most finance ministers weep with envy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHong Kong has \u003cstrong\u003eno natural resources\u003c\/strong\u003e whatsoever — no oil, no minerals, no farmland to speak of — and yet built one of the world's richest economies entirely on trade, finance, and human capital.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1967_Hong_Kong_leftist_riots\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1967 leftist riots\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, inspired by Mao's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cultural_Revolution\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCultural Revolution\u003c\/a\u003e, nearly tore the city apart — bombs were planted in the streets, and the colonial government briefly considered abandoning the territory.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLand is so scarce\u003c\/strong\u003e that Hong Kong has reclaimed over 70 km² from the sea since the 19th century — entire neighborhoods, the airport, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hong_Kong_Disneyland\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDisneyland\u003c\/a\u003e all sit on land that was once ocean.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kowloon_Walled_City\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKowloon Walled City\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, demolished in 1994, was a lawless 2.7-hectare enclave with 33,000 residents — the densest human settlement ever recorded on Earth — operating outside both British and Chinese jurisdiction for decades.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHong Kong's \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/MTR\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMTR subway system\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is consistently rated the world's best: 99.9% on-time performance, profitable without government subsidy, and so clean you could eat off the platform floor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSince the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/2020_Hong_Kong_national_security_law\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2020 National Security Law\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, dozens of pro-democracy activists, journalists, and legislators have been imprisoned or exiled, and the \"one country, two systems\" framework has been substantially curtailed ahead of its 2047 expiration.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOwn this note and hold a piece of Hong Kong's most storied era — when a tiny harbour colony rewrote the rules of capitalism, and a private bank's promise was worth more than most governments' guarantees. The P-182 is a collector's note in Fine condition: circulated, honest, and full of the city's energy.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Money Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52702142267703,"sku":"HK182AU","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/7165\/3431\/files\/182-AU.png?v=1784578274","url":"https:\/\/worldmoneystore.com\/products\/hong-kong-p-182-10-dollars-hsbc-1959-83-vf-very-fine-plus-queen-elizabeth-ii-copy","provider":"World Money Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}