1937年香港有利银行伍拾圆。HONG KONG (SAR). Mercantile Bank of India Ltd. 50 Dollars, 1.12.1937. P-240b. KNB16b. PMG Choice Very Fine 35.
编号81419。香港纸钞经典逸品之一；1937年香港有利银行伍拾圆。此设计共有三个发行年份，1935，1937及1941年。当中最罕有为1937年，原版印制了 6000 张，但其中 4500 张（编号 81501-86000）被注销及销毁。因此，只有1500张得以发行，其编号范围为80001 至 81500，相信存世无几。编者在过去十年间仅遇过2张。左侧经典男性半身像，右侧水印，多彩底纹，左下为会计师手签署名，右方为Donovan Benson(宾臣)印刷签名。背面主色为棕色，带浅橙色和绿色，中央为绮丽的中式建筑，纸钞四角印有钞票编号。宾臣于1919 年加入有利银行，并于 1937 年 2 月至 1952 年 7 月期间担任经理。当日军 在1941 年圣诞节攻陷香港时，宾臣并不在港，哈里霍金斯为其担任经理一职。直至1945年，宾臣回到岗位，重新担任经理。原装CVF品相，无与伦比的珍品，PMG唯一评级的一枚，也可能是这年的最高品相流通票。为香港老钞集藏中镇藏之宝，资深藏家不容错过的瑰宝。PMG备注"墨印"。Serial number 81419. Offered here is considered one of the holy grails for Hong Kong banknotes; the 1937 Mercantile 50 Dollars. <p>This design was issued in three years, 1935, 1937 and 1941. The rarest date is 1937 with an original print run of 6000 pieces but of which 4500 (serial numbers 81501-86000) were cancelled and destroyed. Therefore, only 1500 notes from serial numbers 80001 to 81500 were issued and only a few believed extant. This is the second note that the cataloguer has seen over the past ten years. <p>The design features of classical male bust at left, watermark of the same at right, multicolour sun rays in the underprint, and hand signed by the accountant at lower left and printed signature of Donovan Benson at right. The reverse is brown with light orange and green tints and an ornate Chinese style building is featured at centre with four serial numbers near to each corner of the note. <p>Benson joined the Mercantile Bank in 1919 and was the manager from February 1937 to July 1952. When Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on Christmas Day 1941 he was not in the city and Harry Hawkins was made manager in his absence. Benson was reinstated as manager in 1945. <p>This incredible note in original choice very fine condition is the only one graded by PMG to date and may even be the highest grade extant. A phenomenally rare note which will be the crown piece of any discerning collection of vintage Hong Kong banknotes. PMG comments "Ink Stamps."
