I tried to clear the tags but instead it went off and I was just starting my thing so, I flagged myself down.

Today,  I went to Central and saw the banknotes that was displayed on the groundfloor of the HSBC's  Headquarters in Queens Road. Guess what? I took the liberty of taking photos which I found interesting. They have bigger samples but at the side of it they also have the specimen, so I took photos on both, the real and the samples. The thing is I can't see the exact dates of the older specimens. The first banknote looks like an ordinary paper then progressing ultimately up to the present.  Well , I hope you will like these banknotes.

Anyway, HSBC is celebrating its 140th year since they started issuing the 100 dollar banknotes. The first 100 dollar banknote was issued in 1858 by Mercantile Bank followed in 1866 which was issued by Oriental Bank Corporation although Standard Chartered Bank, Hong kong issued in 1860's, the confirmed date for its issuance was in 1879.

HSBC issued the 100 dollar note in 1877, 1904, 1927, 1985, 2010.  Below are some specimens:



























                                                                                                                 HSBC'S 1877 HUNDRED DOLLAR BANKNOTE














![100 DOLLAR.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPXNK362DYMMCZewejka36D41m7o2NrRjTjof75jRGdgh/100%20DOLLAR.jpg)
















                                                                                                                          HSBS 1904 HUNDRED DOLLAR




![20170221_140806            1904.jpg]
(https://steemitimages.com/DQmX8ndgNHYY4opvhmLpvRU3gRnajnBQAX88M3rK8bNbtEG/20170221_140806%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%201904.jpg)



















![20170221_140749 3 DOLLAR.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmStf3jtX7QuoaxtbEtdLuxE8Nh7TfYdx1sqzkVDMXAS96/20170221_140749%203%20DOLLAR.jpg)




























![20170221_140736.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSbTzxHqtQR1zgvCNnKpQ8v5o392Cb68DbGreYHDpEdSP/20170221_140736.jpg)























































































![20170221_140721 5.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQuTaFgTZQBcdZgV22VbsgWopGraPVCGc49v66mVa6jDP/20170221_140721%205.jpg)

































![20170221_140647     6.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmb31mNrN4RcF3PJ7JPuLZnxBWuDsq2GVoWrP9CbHgNm5r/20170221_140647%20%20%20%20%206.jpg)
































![20170221_140647    7.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmV4ugtGFxnEb563PdcHXChDnWhEiLpDvmtEk5LQtWBvpw/20170221_140647%20%20%20%207.jpg)













HSBC is known as the "Lion bank because of  its key symbol on the banknotes. The roaring lion represents the Chief Manager of HSBC in 1923,  Alexander Stephen who was inspired to order the lions because of the impressive appearance of it at the Venetian Arsenal. The quiet one represented G.H Stitt, they were the two famous bankers in those times.























![20170221_140604               8.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmY9HV1dEMNLHAufTzZprfr3b6kWRKHgEgNT28cBuTtGGM/20170221_140604%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%208.jpg)






















                                                                                               






































![20170221_141054.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYmYSeBVDMpuyJGF3PTJRbGSKSnwT4ZqnASJxoLi4YaMt/20170221_141054.jpg)












                                                                                                                   ABOVE REPRESENTING ALEXANDER STEPHEN










































































































































![20170221_141119.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQy6xANe6mK1jJWDjifoAuVXwwcE5pmrjqjZcojhQEVFA/20170221_141119.jpg)








































                                                                                                                     REPRESENTING G.H. STITT
































 THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION











































                                                                                                    


























![20170221_141158.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmchdT68H2mCBsP9uCqTrAKfDTqdp2EGzxxdEyoWdUHGwc/20170221_141158.jpg)







































I think that's all for today Steemians. It's now 3:18  A.M. Good morning!


















signing off @marifa

























![STEEMIT VIDEO 2.gif](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQuvCNxRDngTCMs2gpk1bzEotxWouSgVmmvfYQHfbkVxQ/STEEMIT%20VIDEO%202.gif)