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Singapore dollar

 
Singapore Dollar

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Singapore dollar



 
 
The dollar (sign
Currency sign

A currency sign is a graphic symbol often used as a shorthand for a currency's name. Internationally, ISO 4217 codes are used instead of currency signs, though currency signs may be in common use in their respective countries....
: $; code
ISO 4217

ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three-letter codes to define the names of currency established by the International Organization for Standardization ....
: SGD) is the currency
Currency

A currency is a Medium of exchange, facilitating the trade of goods and/or Service s. It is coins and paper bills used as money. It is one form of money, where money is anything that serves as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and a standard of value....
 of Singapore
Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country microstate located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands....
. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign
Dollar sign

The dollar sign or peso sign is a symbol primarily used to indicate a unit of currency....
 $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar
Dollar

The dollar is the name of the official currency in several countries, including the US, Australia, and Canada, dependencies and other world regions....
-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cent
Cent (currency)

In many national currency, the cent is a money Units of measurement that equals 1/100 of the basic monetary unit. The word also refers to the coin which is worth one cent....
s.

een 1845 and 1939, Singapore used the Straits dollar
Straits dollar

The Straits dollar was the currency used in the United Kingdom colonies and protectorates in British Malaya and Borneo, including the Straits Settlements until 1939....
. This was replaced by the Malayan dollar
Malayan dollar

File:Front One Malayan Dollar 1941.jpgThe dollar was the currency of the United Kingdom colonies and protectorates in British Malaya and Brunei until 1953....
, and, from 1953, the Malaya and British Borneo dollar
Malaya and British Borneo dollar

The Malaya and British Borneo dollar was the currency of Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, British North Borneo and Brunei from 1953 to 1967....
, which were issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo.

Singapore continued to use the common currency upon joining Malaysia
Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation that consists of States of Malaysia in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government....
 in 1963 but, two years after Singapore's expulsion and independence from Malaysia in 1965, the monetary union between Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei
Brunei

Brunei Darussalam, officially the State of Brunei, Abode of Peace , is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia....
 broke down. Singapore established the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore, on April 7, 1967 and issued its first coins and notes. Nevertheless, the Singapore dollar was exchangeable at par with the Malaysian ringgit
Malaysian ringgit

The ringgit , is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen and its currency code is MYR . The ringgit is issued by the Bank Negara Malaysia....
 until 1973, and interchangeability with the Brunei dollar
Brunei dollar

The ringgit Brunei or the Brunei dollar , has been the currency of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from other dolar-dominated currencies, It is divided into 100 sen or cents ....
 is still maintained.

Initially, the Singapore dollar was pegged to the British pound sterling
Pound sterling

----The pound sterling , subdivided into 100 pence , is the currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown dependency and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and British Antarctic Territory....
 at a rate of S$60 = £7.






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Encyclopedia


The dollar (sign
Currency sign

A currency sign is a graphic symbol often used as a shorthand for a currency's name. Internationally, ISO 4217 codes are used instead of currency signs, though currency signs may be in common use in their respective countries....
: $; code
ISO 4217

ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three-letter codes to define the names of currency established by the International Organization for Standardization ....
: SGD) is the currency
Currency

A currency is a Medium of exchange, facilitating the trade of goods and/or Service s. It is coins and paper bills used as money. It is one form of money, where money is anything that serves as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and a standard of value....
 of Singapore
Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country microstate located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometres north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands....
. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign
Dollar sign

The dollar sign or peso sign is a symbol primarily used to indicate a unit of currency....
 $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar
Dollar

The dollar is the name of the official currency in several countries, including the US, Australia, and Canada, dependencies and other world regions....
-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cent
Cent (currency)

In many national currency, the cent is a money Units of measurement that equals 1/100 of the basic monetary unit. The word also refers to the coin which is worth one cent....
s.

History

Between 1845 and 1939, Singapore used the Straits dollar
Straits dollar

The Straits dollar was the currency used in the United Kingdom colonies and protectorates in British Malaya and Borneo, including the Straits Settlements until 1939....
. This was replaced by the Malayan dollar
Malayan dollar

File:Front One Malayan Dollar 1941.jpgThe dollar was the currency of the United Kingdom colonies and protectorates in British Malaya and Brunei until 1953....
, and, from 1953, the Malaya and British Borneo dollar
Malaya and British Borneo dollar

The Malaya and British Borneo dollar was the currency of Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, British North Borneo and Brunei from 1953 to 1967....
, which were issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo.

Singapore continued to use the common currency upon joining Malaysia
Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation that consists of States of Malaysia in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government....
 in 1963 but, two years after Singapore's expulsion and independence from Malaysia in 1965, the monetary union between Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei
Brunei

Brunei Darussalam, officially the State of Brunei, Abode of Peace , is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia....
 broke down. Singapore established the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore, on April 7, 1967 and issued its first coins and notes. Nevertheless, the Singapore dollar was exchangeable at par with the Malaysian ringgit
Malaysian ringgit

The ringgit , is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen and its currency code is MYR . The ringgit is issued by the Bank Negara Malaysia....
 until 1973, and interchangeability with the Brunei dollar
Brunei dollar

The ringgit Brunei or the Brunei dollar , has been the currency of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from other dolar-dominated currencies, It is divided into 100 sen or cents ....
 is still maintained.

Initially, the Singapore dollar was pegged to the British pound sterling
Pound sterling

----The pound sterling , subdivided into 100 pence , is the currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown dependency and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and British Antarctic Territory....
 at a rate of S$60 = £7. This peg lasted until the demise of the Sterling Area
Sterling Area

The sterling area came into existence at the outbreak of the World War II. It was a wartime emergency measure which involved cooperation in exchange control matters between a group of countries, which at the time were mostly dominions and colony of the British Empire ....
 in the early 1970s, after which the Singapore dollar was linked to the US dollar
United States dollar

The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States and was defined by the Coinage Act of 1792 to be between 371 and 416 grains of silver ....
 for a short period of time. As Singapore's economy grew and its trade links diversified to many other countries and regions, Singapore moved towards pegging its currency against a fixed and undisclosed trade-weighted basket of currencies from 1973-1985. From 1985 onwards, Singapore adopted a more market-oriented exchange regime - classified as a Monitoring Band - in which the Singapore dollar is allowed to float (within an undisclosed bandwidth of a central parity) but closely monitored by the Monetary Authority of Singapore
Monetary Authority of Singapore

File:SGcurrency.jpgThe Monetary Authority of Singapore is Singapore's central bank. It was set up in 1971 to oversee various monetary functions associated with banking as well as finance....
 (MAS) against a concealed basket of currencies of Singapore's major trading partners and competitors. This in theory allows the Singaporean government to have more control over imported inflation and to ensure that Singapore's exports remain competitive. All issued Singapore dollar currency in circulation is fully backed by international assets to maintain public confidence.

The Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore, was dissolved on October 1, 2002 and its functions, property and liabilities have been transferred to the MAS
Monetary Authority of Singapore

File:SGcurrency.jpgThe Monetary Authority of Singapore is Singapore's central bank. It was set up in 1971 to oversee various monetary functions associated with banking as well as finance....
.

Coins

In 1967, the first series of coins was introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 dollar. Except for the bronze 1 cent, these coins were struck in cupro-nickel. In 1985, a second series of coins was introduced in the same denominations. The sizes of the coins were reduced (most substantially for the larger denominations) and the 5 cents was struck in aluminium-bronze. In 1987, the 1 dollar coin was further reduced in size and switched to being struck in aluminium-bronze.

First Series (1967 - 1985)
Value Technical parameters Description Date of issue
Diameter Thickness Mass Composition Edge Obverse Reverse
1 cent17.780 mm 1.118 mm 1.940 g Bronze
Bronze

Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but sometimes with other chemical element such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminium, or silicon....
 
Plain Value and Year A high - rise public housing block with a fountain in front and clouds in the background June 12, 1967
1 cent 1.240 g Copper
Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity....
-clad steel
Steel

Steel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.14% by weight , depending on grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten....
 
1976
5 cents 16.26 mm 1.02 mm 1.410 g Cupro-nickel Milled Value and Year A snake-bird sitting in its nest and preening its feathers. June 12, 1967
5 cents 1.260 g Cupro-nickel clad steel
5 cents (FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger....
)
21.23 mm 1.27 mm 1.240 g Aluminium
Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white and ductile member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al; its atomic number is 13....
 
A fish and the phrases "INCREASE PRODUCTION" and "MORE FOOD FROM THE SEA." 1971
10 cents 19.41 mm 1.40 mm 2.83 g Cupro-nickel A seahorse with a stylized piece of seaweed. June 12, 1967
20 cents 23.60 mm 1.78 mm 5.66 g A swordfish against a background symbolizing water.
50 cents 27.76 mm 2.03 mm 9.33 g A lionfish from tropical waters.
$1 33.32 mm 2.39 mm 16.85g A stylized Singapore lion symbol flanked by two stalks of paddy.


The current series of coin
Coin

A coin is a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material, usually in the shape of a Disk , and most often issued by a government....
s feature the Coat of Arms of Singapore
Coat of arms of Singapore

File:Coat of arms of Singapore.svgThe coat of arms of Singapore was adopted in 1959, along with the other national symbols of Singapore. Using elements from the Flag of Singapore, the coat of arms symbolises the current state and honours its cultural links with Malaysia....
 on the obverse, and a floral theme on the reverse.
Second Series (1985 - present)
Value Technical parameters Description Date of issue
Diameter Thickness Mass Composition Edge Obverse Reverse
1 cent 15.9 mm 1.1 mm 1.24 g Copper
Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity....
-plated zinc
Zinc

Zinc is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a first-row transition metal of the group 12 element of the periodic table....
 
Plain Coat of Arms
Coat of arms of Singapore

File:Coat of arms of Singapore.svgThe coat of arms of Singapore was adopted in 1959, along with the other national symbols of Singapore. Using elements from the Flag of Singapore, the coat of arms symbolises the current state and honours its cultural links with Malaysia....
, "Singapore" in 4 official languages
Value, Vanda Miss Joaquim
Vanda Miss Joaquim

Vanda Miss Joaquim , a hybrid orchid cultivar, is Singapore national flower....
 
September 28, 1987
5 cents 16.75 mm 1.22 mm 1.56 g Aluminium bronze
Aluminium bronze

Aluminium bronze is a type of bronze in which aluminium is the main alloying metal added to copper. A variety of aluminium bronzes of differing compositions have found industrial use, with most ranging from 5% to 11% aluminium by weight, the remaining mass being copper; other alloying agents such as iron, nickel, manganese, and silicon are...
 
Reeded Coat of Arms
Coat of arms of Singapore

File:Coat of arms of Singapore.svgThe coat of arms of Singapore was adopted in 1959, along with the other national symbols of Singapore. Using elements from the Flag of Singapore, the coat of arms symbolises the current state and honours its cultural links with Malaysia....
, "Singapore" in 4 official languages
Value, Monstera deliciosa
Monstera deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa is a creeping vine native to tropical Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests from southern Mexico south to Panama....
 
December 2, 1985
10 cents 18.5 mm 1.38 mm 2.6 g Cupronickel
Cupronickel

Cupronickel or Coppernickel is an alloy of copper, nickel and strengthening impurities, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel does not corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater....
 
Reeded Coat of Arms
Coat of arms of Singapore

File:Coat of arms of Singapore.svgThe coat of arms of Singapore was adopted in 1959, along with the other national symbols of Singapore. Using elements from the Flag of Singapore, the coat of arms symbolises the current state and honours its cultural links with Malaysia....
, "Singapore" in 4 official languages
Value, Jasminum multiflorum
Jasmine

Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family ,with about 200 species, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World....
 
December 2, 1985
20 cents 21.36 mm 1.72 mm 4.5 g Value, Calliandra surinamensis
Calliandra

Calliandra is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Mimosoideae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of southern Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas....
50 cents 24.66 mm 2.06 mm 7.29 g Reeded Value, Allamanda Cathartica
Allamanda

Allamanda, also known as Yellow Bell, Golden Trumpet or Buttercup Flower, is a genus of tropical shrubs or vines belonging to the dogbane family ....
 
December 2, 1985
50 cents Inscribed "REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE" and the lion symbol May 28, 1990
$1 22.40 mm 2.4 mm 6.3 g Aluminium bronze
Aluminium bronze

Aluminium bronze is a type of bronze in which aluminium is the main alloying metal added to copper. A variety of aluminium bronzes of differing compositions have found industrial use, with most ranging from 5% to 11% aluminium by weight, the remaining mass being copper; other alloying agents such as iron, nickel, manganese, and silicon are...
 
Inscribed "REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE" and the lion symbol Coat of Arms
Coat of arms of Singapore

File:Coat of arms of Singapore.svgThe coat of arms of Singapore was adopted in 1959, along with the other national symbols of Singapore. Using elements from the Flag of Singapore, the coat of arms symbolises the current state and honours its cultural links with Malaysia....
, "Singapore" in 4 official languages
Value, Lochnera rosea
Apocynaceae

The Apocynaceae or dogbane family is a family of Angiosperms that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas.Many species are tall trees found in tropical rainforests, and most are from the tropics and subtropics, but some grow in tropical dry, xeric environments....
 
September 28, 1987
Note:
  • 6.81 million 1 cent coins are in circulation as at 1 December 2006, but are no longer issued since 2003.
  • 5.86 million 5 cent coins are still in circulation as at 1 December 2006, but are no longer issued.


Banknotes


On June 12, 1967, the first series of notes, known as the Orchid series
Singapore Orchid Series currency notes

The Orchid Series of currency notes is the earliest to be issued for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1967 to 1976, it has nine denominations....
, was introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10,50, 100 and 1000 dollars. 25 and 500 dollar notes were introduced in 1972, followed by 10,000 dollars in 1973. Between 1976 and 1980, the Bird series
Singapore Bird Series currency notes

The Bird Series of currency notes is the second set of notes to be issued for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1976 to 1984, it has nine denominations, the same number as in the Singapore Orchid Series currency notes, albeit the $25 note was replaced by the $20 note....
 was introduced, including a 20 dollar note introduced in 1979. This series did not include a 25 dollar note. The Ship series
Singapore Ship Series currency notes

The Ship Series of currency notes is the third set of notes to be issued for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1984 to 1999, it retains the number of denominations as was in the previous two series of notes, but switches the $20 note for the $2 one....
 was introduced between 1985 and 1989 in the same denominations except for the absence of a 20 dollar note. Notes for 2 dollars were introduced in 1990.

4th Series - Portrait Series (1999 - present)
Singapore Portrait Series currency notes

The Portrait Series of banknote is the fourth and current set of notes to be issued for circulation in Singapore. It was first introduced on 9 September 1999 by the Board of Commissioners of Currency Singapore whose role was since taken over by the Monetary Authority of Singapore post-merger....
 
Image Value Dimensions Main Colour Description Date of issue Status Material
Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse
$2 126 × 63 mm PurpleYusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Money Cowrie
Education September 9, 1999 Circulation Paper
January 12, 2006 polymer
$5 133 × 66 mm Green President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Gold-Ringed Cowrie
Garden City September 9, 1999 Paper
May 18, 2007 Polymer
$10 141 × 69 mm Red President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Wandering Cowrie
Sports September 9, 1999 Paper
May 4, 2004 Polymer
$50 156 × 74 mmBlue President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Cylindrical Cowrie
Arts September 9, 1999 Paper
$100 162 × 77 mmOrange President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Swallow Cowrie
Youth Paper
$1000 170 × 83 mm Purple President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Beautiful Cowrie
Government Paper
$10000 180 × 90 mm gold President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, Onyx Cowrie
Economics Paper


The current Portrait series was introduced in 1999, with the 1 and 500 dollar denominations omitted. These notes feature the face of Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
, the first president of the Republic of Singapore, on the obverse, and the reverse depicts a feature of civic virtue. There are both paper and polymer notes in circulation. The designs of the polymer notes are very similar to the corresponding paper note except for the slightly slippery feel and a small transparent window design in the corner of the banknote. Polymer notes are progressively replacing the paper banknotes in circulation.

Commemorative Banknotes

Commemorative banknotes is also released, usually in limited quantities. The first commemorative banknote was released in 24 July 1990, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Singapore's independence
History of the Republic of Singapore

The history of the Republic of Singapore began when Singapore gained its independence and became a republic following a secession from the Federation of Malaysia on 9 August 1965....
. In 08 December 1999, to celebrate the coming millennium
2000

2000 was a leap year that Leap year starting on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. 2000 was also the first century leap year since 1600....
, 3 million $2 Millennium Notes were circulated. The note is similar to the $2 portrait series, except that the prefix of the serial number is replaced with a Millennium 2000 logo. On 27 June 2007, to commemorate 40 years of currency agreement with Brunei, the $20 note was launched; the back is identical to the Bruneian $20 note launched concurrently. A circulation version of the $20 note can be exchanged at banks in Singapore beginning July 16, 2007, limited to two pieces per transaction.

Singapore commemorative banknotes
Image Value Dimensions Main Colour Description Date of issue Material
Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse
$20 145 × 69 mm yellow/brown President Yusof bin Ishak
Yusof bin Ishak

Yusof bin Ishak was an eminent Singaporean politician and the first President of Singapore. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999....
,“Dendrobium Puan Noor Aishah” orchid
Text reading “BRUNEI DARUSSALAM · SINGAPORE and CURRENCY INTERCHANGEABILITY AGREEMENT 1967 - 2007” and national landmarks of Singapore and Brunei. 27 June 2007 Polymer


See also

  • Economy of Singapore
    Economy of Singapore

    The Economic system of Singapore is a highly developed capitalism mixed economy. While government intervention is kept at a minimum, government entities such as the sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings control corporations responsible for 60% of GDP....


External links