red overprint on a Bank of China 5 Yuan note from 1941, crisp, light corner crease upper right, serial number B329204 This note was issued as an emergency measure during World War II. When the Japanese army attacked Hong Kong on December 8, 1941 and overwhelmed defenders on the main land, the remaining British forces retreated to their colony at Hong Kong Island. While under siege, there emerged a shortage of coins and $1 banknotes; the shortage of banknotes developed when the Japanese distributed leaflets warning that all notes over $10 would be worthless after the Japanese took over the colony. Luckily, a stock of the bank of China 5 Yuan notes were discovered at a commercial press in North Point. These notes were overprinted "HONG KONG GOVERNMENT $1" and released for circulation on December 13, but were in circulation for just a short time. On December 18, the Japanese successfully invaded Hong Kong, and after extensive fighting, the allied forces surrendered to the Japanese on Christmas day 1941. These notes were in circulation for less than two weeks. After the war, the leftover stock of un-issued notes was found and destroyed, so these notes have become a rarity.