The Monetary Authority and Hong Kong’s three note-issuing banks will release a new series of banknotes.

It is the first time for the banks to standardise thematic designs for each note denomination.

The images are vertically displayed on the reverse side of the bills instead of the traditional horizontal layout, with the themes on the five denominations representing different aspects of Hong Kong.

They illustrate the city’s popular dim sum and tea culture, native butterflies, Cantonese opera, the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark and the city’s standing as an international financial centre.

Notes of $1,000 and $500 will be put into circulation in the last quarter of 2018 and early 2019. The lower denominations of $100, $50 and $20 will be ready for issue in batches between 2019 and 2020.

The new bills have incorporated advanced security features including a dynamic shimmering pattern, a windowed metallic thread, a bauhinia flower enhanced watermark, a fluorescent see-through denomination, a concealed denomination and an embossed feel.

To aid the visually-impaired, the authority has sponsored the Hong Kong Society for the Blind to develop an app that uses a camera phone to identify the denomination of Hong Kong banknotes and read it out loud for the user.

An educational app will be launched in a roving exhibition at IFC Mall tomorrow to enhance the public's understanding of the new banknotes’ designs and security features.

All existing banknotes continue to be legal tender. They will circulate along with the new banknotes and be gradually withdrawn as appropriate in due course.