1897 Hong Kong Victoria 5 Cent

So, I finally got back to dealing with the small pile of coins forming on the edge of the dining room table. I used to not be such a procrastinator. At one time I was wired tight and was always ahead of everything. Never left anything undone, but now I put things off constantly. Sounds like a topic for another post though, let's get on with talking about this coin.

This little might mite is the 1897 Hong Kong Victoria 5 cent coin. It is 80% silver, weighs 1.36 grams, and has a reeded edge. It is only has a diameter of 15.53 mm so it is a rather small coin.

Historical Context: the Coin's Era

The world expereinced a great deal of urbanization and industrialization in the 1890s. The peak of the Second Industrial Revolution took place, along with imperlialism exapnding many of the Eurpean empires. The 1890s saw the growth in the women's and labor rights movements. It even experienced its own economic challenge, the Panic of 1893.

Minting Year and Important Historical Events

1897 was a year of amazing scientific discoveries, literary achievements, and historical events.

JJ Thomson discovered the electron, Bram Stoker had one of the all time great horror novel's published in his "Dracula". Quenn Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee marking 60 years on the thrown of the United Kingdom.

Cultural and Symbolic Elements in the Coin's Design

OBVERSE
The crowned bust of the long serving Queen Victoria sits on the obverse of the coin. Her title and name surround the edges.

 
REVERSE
The reverse legend contains the year of mintage, denomination and Hong Kong around the edges. The denomination in Chinese characters is in the center.

Rarity and Value

Four million of these coins were produced in 1897 for circulation. The value can vary greatly depending on the condition. It seems in the fine to very fine range it can be about $3.25USD. In Uncirculated it can be around $370USD. The rarity index for these coins from this era is an 11, which makes them easy to find.

Mintage

Those coins without a mint mark were minted at the Royal Mint (Tower Hill), London, United Kingdom. Those stamped with the "H" mint mark were minted at Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham (Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham Limited), United Kingdom. The designer was Leonard Charles Wyon.

If you have any further information about this coin you would like to add, like historical information I left out or want to correct any I may have gotten wrong, please drop it in the comments.

Thanks,
Joe

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