About the Coin Designs

The Third Series coin designs depict well-known icons and landmarks of our nation, economy and society that Singaporeans, young and old, can identify easily.  

The following features have also been added to facilitate identification by the visually impaired:

• Progressive sizing by denomination to allow users to recognise the coins more intuitively.
  • The 5-cent coin is the smallest and 1-dollar coin is the largest.
• Tactile features such as the different edge patterns on each denomination of the new coins.
  • For example, the 50-cent coin has a micro scalloped edge pattern, the 1-dollar and 20-cent coins have milled edging, the 10-cent has an interrupted milled edge pattern and the 5-cent coin has plain edging.
• Higher relief at the rim of the 1-dollar coin.
• Retention of the octagonal frame for the 1-dollar coin.
• A circle of beads along the rim of the 50-cent coin.

Key Features

All Third Series coins feature:

• The lion's head, a common unifying symbol.
• The Singapore Coat of Arms, a recognised symbol of the legal tender status of Singapore coins, on the obverse.
• Larger denomination numerals for easy identification. 

Find out about the security features in the Third Series coins.

• The Third Series coins were presented the finalist award for the 2013 Best New Circulation Coin or Series at the Currency Awards by the International Association of Currency Affairs (IACA). 
  • The award recognised excellence in currency issuance and was voted by IACA members comprising issuing authorities and currency suppliers such as printers and mints.
• The Third Series micro-site was awarded the “Best in Class – Banking category” in the 2013 Interactive Media Awards (IMA), organised by the Interactive Media Council Inc, a non-profit organisation comprising web-related professionals. 
  • The Best in Class award was the highest honour in the IMA and represented the highest standards of professionalism, standards compliance and planning and execution in website design and development.

About the Coin Designs

The Second Series coins bear the flora theme and feature local plants and flowers. It aims at enhancing Singapore's image as a garden city.

Key Features

All Second Series coins feature:

• The Singapore Coat of Arms in the centre surrounded by the word "SINGAPORE" in the four official languages (English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil) around the circumference of the coin on the obverse.
  • A year-date appears below the Singapore Coat of Arms.
  • A ring of dashes surrounds the Singapore Coat of Arms on both the 10-cent and 50-cent coins.

The 1-dollar coin also has a lion symbol, an octagonal frame around the circumference of the 1-dollar coin and a milled edge bearing the inscription "REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE". Since 28 May 1990, the 50-cent coin has had a plain edge with the inscription "REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE" and a lion symbol.

Key Facts

• There were two versions of the Singapore Coat of Arms on the Second Series coins. 
  • The first version was the stylised form of the Singapore Coat of Arms and had the shield bearing the crescent and five stars higher than the lion and tiger supporting it. 
  • The second version was the official form of the Singapore Coat of Arms and had the shield lower than the lion and tiger supporting it.
  • The stylised version was adopted for aesthetic purposes and was used until 1992, when the then Coin Advisory Committee reviewed and felt that there was little justification to continue using the stylised version. The Committee recommended and the Board of Commissioners of Currency Singapore (BCCS) approved to use the official version of the Singapore Coat of Arms on all Singapore coins in the future.

About the Coin Designs

The First Series coins were a reflection of the new status which Singapore had gained as an independent republic in 1965.

The designs represented a dramatic break from the past as coins issued by previous currency commissions had borne only the effigy of the reigning British monarch on the obverse. 

Key Features

All First Series coins feature:

• A common reverse design.
  • The denomination of the coin is in the centre with the year-date at the top. 
  • Two stalks of paddy are on the left with the word "SINGAPORE" on the right.

Key Facts

• The first and only aluminium 5-cent coin was issued in 1971. 
  • It was issued in conjunction with Singapore's participation in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's Coin Programme.