$5 Paper Notes

         $5 Polymer Notes

The Garden City Theme exemplifies Singapore as a garden city, the pride of our citizens. The back of the $5 note features a dramatic Garden City landscape dominated by the portrayal of the old tembusu tree (Fagraea fragrans) which still stands in the grounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The majestic tree of more than 200 years is characterised by its firm and towering presence. The tree bears small red berries and has white flowers that are exceptionally fragrant. The sturdy tree with its highly branched canopy, epitomises the spirit of Singapore - strong, resilient and continuously striving for progress.

Also pictured on the front of the $5 note is the Gold-Ringed Cowrie (Cypraea annulus Linnaeus, 1758). Like its relative the Money Cowrie, this species is very abundant and is found living in the inter-tidal zone, usually in shallow tide pools high above water level. It is also one of the more variable species in the genus.

A typical Gold-Ringed Cowrie has a greenish-yellow back, encircled by a bright orange-yellowish band with a cream-coloured base. The egg cluster, about the size of the animal, is light cream. Its distribution is in the Indo-West Pacific.