Category: Coins

Singapore’s set of circulation coins will be updated in mid 2013. The third series of coins will feature key icons and landmarks in the country, namely the Merlion ($1), the Port of Singapore (50c), Changi International Airport (20c), public housing (10c) and the Esplanade (5c).

These coins mark Singapore’s progress as a nation. The Monetary Authority of Singapore made this announcement on 21 February 2013. The exact date of issue has yet to be announced, but MAS has indicated that all denominations of the new coin will be issued “simultaneously by the middle of 2013”.

These coins will be struck by the Royal Canadian Mint with enhanced security features. The lion head is found on the reverse of each coin in the series as a unifying symbol. Also, the coins feature larger denomination numerals for easier identification. The obverse of the third series coins remain as the Singapore Coat of Arms, and “Singapore” in the four official languages.

The one dollar coin will be struck on a bimetallic planchet. It also features a laser mark micro-engraving of Singapore’s national flower – the Vanda Miss Joaqium. The new $1 coin will be larger than the current $1 coin, while retaining the octagonal frame along the coin rim. With a diameter of 24.65 mm, the new $1 coin is approximately the same size as the current 50c coin (at 24.66 mm in comparison).

Coins of the third series will be progressively sized by denomination.

The first series of coins was issued back in 1967, in denominations of 1c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c and $1. The second series of coins featuring flowers in the garden city was issued in 1985 and is currently in general circulation.

The Singapore International Coin Fair 2012 is held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands Singapore, from 30 March 2012 to 1 April 2012. Several national mints have set up their booths there, including that of Singapore, Canada, Mexico, North Korea, Thailand and United Kingdom. Of course, a complete set of coins depicting the various sports for the London 2012 Olympics are also available.

A stamp set containing the Year of the Dragon stamps from both China and Singapore is given free to people who register as a member at the Singapore Gold Coins Investment Pte Ltd booth. Registration for the membership is free. Upon registration, one will receive the set of stamps placed in a nicely designed commemorative folder.

Banknote collector Vincent and I headed down to the coin fair this morning, which was not too crowded. One possible reason was that Mavin International holding their auction of world coins and banknotes on the same day, drawing some collectors over. I managed to obtain some banknotes to add to my collection, including the latest 2012 Malaysian banknotes folders.

In addition, we also got hold of the 2003 Vietnamese coin set, which is seldom seen in general circulation these days. The five coins include the denominations of VND 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000.

This year, over 60 dealers and exhibitors have set up booths at the fair. With a number of international dealers and exhibitors at the fair, the variety of coins and banknotes available are definitely higher than what you would find in local shops.

Also on display is the manual coin press machine by the Singapore Mint. This machine requires one to spin the handle with maximum force, leaving a two-sided impression on the metal planchet. This has to be done one coin at a time, and would usually take a few seconds in comparison with up to 800 coins per minute by automated machines today. One can choose to mint their own coin with a purchase from the nearby Singapore Mint retail booth. It is definitely a good experience to mint your own coin! One side of the coin contains the Merlion symbol and the words ‘The Singapore Mint’, while the other side contains an illustration of Marina Bay Sands. Following the fair, this coin press will be displayed at the Singapore Coins and Notes Museum (SCNM) located in Chinatown.

You may probably have seen the advertisement about the event in the local papers. If you have not seen it, entire newsprint pages containing the advertisements are pasted on the wall, near the entrance of the exhibition hall.

The latest addition to my collection is the New 1991 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Set. This set was issued on 29 October 1991 with a mintage of 70,000 sets. In that year, a new aluminium-bronze $5 coin was also introduced as part of the uncirculated coin set. The $5 coin was issued in 1990 to commemorate Singapore’s 25th Anniversary. From 1992, the $5 coin has been replaced by the bimetallic, scallop-edged coin designed by local artist and sculptor Dr Elise Yu.

Today, we welcome the Year of the Tiger (as well as Valentine’s Day). People around the world celebrate the first day of Chinese New Year, one of the most significant dates on the Lunar calendar. The Tiger is the third of the 12-animal Chinese zodiac. This is the year of the Metal Tiger, which lasts until 2 February 2011.

Every year, the Monetary Authority of Singapore would issue an uncirculated coin set to signify an auspicious and prosperous year ahead, and is presented in the form of a red packet, commonly known as a ‘hongbao’. This coin set features the second series of circulation coins in Singapore, as well as the scallop-edged $5 coin which has been introduced in 1992. This year, the coin set retails for $20 and can be purchased from the Singapore Mint.