18XX年(应为1867年)香港上海汇丰银行5元注销票，基于保安理由纸角经银行鳄印钞厂裁剪，Ashby & Co.印刷局印製，此局其后被Barclay & Fry公司收购，故带Ashby商标更见稀有。汇丰银行于1865年3月3日成立，当时名为「香港上海汇理银行」，此乃遵照英国早年的合股银行的惯例，以主要业务经营地区来为银行命名。成立同年，银行开始发行流通票，其后银行获批于1867年起成为有限责任公司，故自1866年中起，所有印刷的钞票均改用 “The Hongkong an诶 Shanghai Banking Corporation”作银行名称。本钞最初于七十年代流入私人收藏市场时，价值高达港币16万元，以当时而言可谓天文数字。后来约在1980年首次于博物馆展出，亦载于多本展览册上。时到至今，在银行成立逾150年间亦仅见过一枚以 “Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking COMPANY”为银行名称之钞票，是一枚上方经撕毁注销之5元票，亮相于1970年代之美国钱币展，其后一直存于同一集藏中长达50年。PMG 50，纸角锈渍经移除，纪录中唯一的一枚，亦是相估迄今为止最早期汇丰银行印製的香港纸钞，今次实属千载难逢之机会，能入手此枚出自本地龙头银行的首枚发行钞票，保存极完好，甚为难得。
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, $5, remainder, two corners clipped by printer for security, 18xx (ca.1866), grey, $5 and 5$ in blue at centre, reverse green, Bank arms at centre, an Ashby & Co. printing,An absolutely spectacular note, and the prize in any collection!The Hong Kong Bank was founded on 3rd March 1865 as the"Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking COMPANY". In that year notes were placed into circulation subsequently.By one year later -- mid-1866 -- the Bank had decided to incorporate and had arranged its incorporation papers. The newly-named bank "Corporation" was to emerge from the "Company" on 1st January 1867.Accordingly, notes were printed from mid-1866 with the new "Corporation" title, then signed and held in reserve pending their issue from 1st January 1867.In fact, one wonderful issued note exists with the 1.1.1867 date. Thisnote was located by longtime collector Keith Austin of Carlisle,England, and now of Kuala Lumpur, and transacted on behalf of Robert Lam, the head of the Hong Kong Museum of History. Robert Lam was very keen on Hong Kong banknotes, and as a result the Museum contains an exceptional holding.To our recollection, the amount paid for the note during the 1970s was HKD160,000 -- an absolutely astronomical sum at this time when banknote collecting had barely commenced.This note can be seen reproduced in a number of catalogues. It was first exhibited in 1988 by the Museum, and can be seen in their catalogue of the Museum exhibition.At present, after more than 150 years only one note on the "Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking COMPANY" has been located, this being a $5 (tear-cancelled at top), which turned up at a US coin convention during the late 1970s.It has remained in the same collection for close to fifty years. And like this present note, it exhibits fresh colours and paper.A unique opportunity to acquire a note from the first year of HongKongs most famous bank, and in a virtually perfect state of preservation. In fact, holding the note between the fingers produces a special type of "paper music"!It may be noted that this issue was prepared by Ashby & Company in London. By 1870 Ashby had been taken over by the London firm of Barclay & Fry, statedly to acquire Ashbys engravers. Accordingly only a few notes can be found bearing the Ashby logo.(Pick 115r), PMG 50 About Uncirculated (Cancelled, Corners Removed, Stains). The ONLY note in the PMG population report and to date very likely to be the earliest Hong Kong note printed for HSBC available to private collectors.
