New | Hongkongers start buying new banknotes – but no HK$1,000 bills please
Residents preparing for Lunar New Year lai see shun big bills after discovery of fake notes
Many people are giving HK$1,000 banknotes a wide berth this year as they line up at banks on Tuesday for crisp new notes to be used in the traditional gift of lai see, or money presented in auspicious red packets.
Queues formed at some branches early in the morning for the purchase of fresh banknotes released by the three money-issuing banks ahead of the Lunar New Year, which begins on January 30.
Some of those standing in line expressed worries about a recent counterfeit scare that caused many shops to reject HK$1,000 notes.
Others said they would not use such big bills anyway, because of the inconvenience.
“Yes, fake notes are worrying. I used to get HK$1,000 notes for the lai see I gave to my children, but not this year,” said Lau Yeung-kau, 76, who withdrew HK$25,000 from the Quarry Bay HSBC branch.
Lau said he would use two HK$500 notes instead.