1999 Standard Chartered Bank 20 dollar EF 567890

Basic Information

This banknote is a legal tender issued by Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong, belonging to the bank's classic mythical beast series of banknotes launched between 1993 and 2002. The issue date is January 1, 1999, after the handover to China. In the collector's world, it is commonly known as the "Dragon Turtle Banknote"; its catalog number is Pick #285c, and it was printed by Hong Kong Banknote Printing Limited. Its dimensions are 144 mm × 72 mm.

Front Design

The main image on the right side is Bixi, one of the nine sons of the dragon in Chinese mythology, a mythical beast with a dragon's head and a turtle's body. Traditionally, it symbolizes stability, perseverance, good fortune, and long-term stability, representing a wish for Hong Kong's solid economic foundation and long-term prosperity.

The banknote features Standard Chartered Bank's name in both Chinese and English, the cash-on-delivery guarantee, the denomination "Twenty Dollars," the issue date, the signatures of two senior bank officials, and the serial number EE659780. The left side features a color-changing numeral "20" and a finely textured security pattern. Built-in security features include a portrait watermark, a latent SCB bank mark, and a metallic security thread, among other standard security features.

Reverse Design

The left side depicts a cluster of modern high-rise buildings, representing Hong Kong's urban financial district. A relief of the Bauhinia flower, Hong Kong's regional flower, is placed in the center, accompanied by the bank's name in both Chinese and English, the repeated "Twenty Dollars" and the numeral "20" in the four corners, and a traditional swirling scroll pattern as a decorative background. The overall color scheme is predominantly light green and beige.