Singapore Dollar

The Singapore dollar or dollar (sign: $; code: SGD) is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Brunei Currency and Monetary Board still maintain the historic exchangeability of their two currencies, the Singaporean dollar and the Brunei dollar, respectively. The dollar is accepted as "customary tender" in Brunei according to the Currency Interchangeability Agreement. Likewise, the Brunei dollar is customarily accepted in Singapore.

History

Between 1845 and 1939, Singapore used the Straits dollar. This was replaced by the Malayan dollar, and, from 1953, the Malaya and British Borneo dollar, which were issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo.  Only two years after Singapore's expulsion and independence from Malaysia in 1965, the monetary union between Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei broke down.  Singapore established the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore, on April 7, 1967 and issued its first coins and notes.

Coins

Frequently used : $0.1, $0.2, $0.5, $1

Rarely used : $0.01

- $0.01 : Obverse = Coat of Arms, “Singapore” in 4 other languages

Reverse = Value, Vanda ‘Miss Joaquim’
- $0.05 : Obverse = Coat of Arms, “Singapore” in 4 other languages

Reverse = Value, Monstera deliciosa
- $0.1 : Obverse = Coat of Arms, “Singapore” in 4 other languages

Reverse = Value, Jasminum multiforum
- $0.2 : Obverse = Coat of Arms, “Singapore” in 4 other languages

Reverse = Value, Calliandra surinamensia
- $0.5 : Obverse = Coat of Arms, “Singapore” in 4 other languages

Reverse = Value, Allamanda cathartica
- $1 : Obverse = Coat of Arms, “Singapore” in 4 other languages

Reverse = Value, Lochnera rosea

Banknotes

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, the first president of the Republic of Singapore, on the obverse, and the reverse depicts a feature of civic virtue.

Frequently used : $2, $5, $10, $50, $100

Rarely used : $1,000, $10,000

- $2 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Money Cowrie

Reverse = Education
- $5 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Gold-Ringed Cowrie

Reverse = Garden City
- $10 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Wandering Cowrie

Reverse = Sports
- $50 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Cylindrical Cowrie

Reverse = Arts
- $100 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Swallow Cowrie

Reverse = Youth
- $1,000 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Beautiful Cowrie

Reverse = Government
- $10,000 : Obverse = President Yusof bin Ishak, Onyx Cowrie

Reverse = Economics