In early 2019, a small number of $2 banknotes with one house below the word ‘Education’ (on the reverse side) started to surface. The serial number of these Portrait Series banknotes start with the digit ‘7’, which may mean that serial numbers starting with the digit ‘6’ will finally come to an end.
This comes after a total of 362 prefixes (beginning with the digit ‘6’) and five symbols worth of banknotes were put into circulation since 2016. The symbols were one star, two stars, three stars, one hollow star and two hollow stars.
In 2016, the first prefixes beginning with ‘6’ were 6NA to 6QJ (one hollow star). This was followed by 6AA to 6CM (one star) and 6QK to 6SV (two hollow stars) in 2017.
In 2018, prefixes 6CN to 6HM (two stars) were introduced, alongside 6AA to 6CM (two stars). A limited number of 6FA 51xxxx to 6HM 51xxxx (three stars) were also observed in early 2018. At some point during the same year, prefixes 6SW to 6TB (two hollow stars) were also observed.
The remaining serial numbers for 6FA to 6HM (three stars) were released in 2019, together with new prefixes 6HN to 6KZ (three stars).
New symbols on the reverse of the banknotes are typically observed at the start of the year, around two to three weeks before Chinese New Year.
Among the various denominations of Singapore banknotes, the $2 banknote is one of the most widely and frequently circulated. Perhaps this is the reason why the $2 denomination is the first to get a prefix starting with the digit ‘7’.
As of November 2019, very few pieces of $2 banknotes with one house have been observed. But it is just a matter of time before these notes are eventually put into circulation, so remember to keep a lookout for them.
One House Symbol on $10 Notes
The house symbol is not entirely new, as it has previously appeared on the $10 note with prefixes 5EA to 5FW (one house), 5FX to 5HT (two houses). Hollow house symbols have also been observed on the $10 denomination: 5NA to 5QH (one hollow house), 5QJ to 5SU (two hollow houses). That was the first time for a hollow symbol to appear. The latest symbol on the $10 note is one inverted triangle, with serial numbers starting with ‘6’.