Mr Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015) was a renowned statesman and the founder of modern Singapore.

Returning to Singapore after his studies in 1950, Mr Lee began his law career and became politically engaged in a variety of causes. In 1955, Mr Lee and the People’s Action Party went on to contest in the Legislative Assembly elections, where Mr Lee was elected to represent the constituency of Tanjong Pagar, a position he maintained for 60 years. In the 1959 general election, Mr Lee became Singapore’s first Prime Minister at the age of 35, a position he held for over three decades.

Mr Lee led Singapore through its merger with Malaysia on 16 September 1963, and subsequent separation on 9 August 1965. The period of 1965 to 1990s has been closely identified with Mr Lee’s leadership and strength of character. Assisted by a group of exceptionally able colleagues, Mr Lee transformed Singapore into a progressive, open and economically successful nation.

After stepping down as Prime Minster in 1990, Mr Lee continued to serve in the Cabinet until 2011, when he was 87 years old.

Learn more about Mr Lee Kuan Yew:

• National Heritage Board. (2022). “Lee Kuan Yew.”
  
• National Heritage Board. (2021). “In Memoriam: Lee Kuan Yew.”
• Duncan Sutherland. (2015). “Lee Kuan Yew.” Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board, Singapore

Marina Barrage was born from the vision of founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, more than three decades ago, when he envisaged damming the mouth of the Marina Channel to create a freshwater reservoir in the heart of the city. Officially opened on 31 October 2008, the Marina Barrage brings about three benefits – it serves as an important water supply source, alleviates flooding in the low-lying areas of the city and is a popular destination for water-based and lifestyle activities. 

Considered an engineering marvel due to its complexity, the barrage separates water in the Marina Basin from seawater to form Marina Reservoir, Singapore’s 15th freshwater reservoir. Among our 17 reservoirs, it has the largest catchment area of 10,000 hectares – roughly one-sixth the land area of Singapore – and helps augment the country’s water supply for generations to come.

Learn more about the Marina Barrage:

• Public Utilities Board. (2023). “Marina Barrage.”
  
• Valerie Chew. (2008). “Marina Barrage.” Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board, Singapore.

Fullerton Hotel (formerly the Fullerton Building/General Post Office) and National Gallery Singapore (formerly the Supreme Court and City Hall) are two heritage buildings which have witnessed significant milestones in Singapore’s history.

Fullerton Hotel

Fullerton Hotel was formerly the Fullerton Building, a prominent landmark situated at the mouth of the Singapore River. The building housed the General Post Office, which played an important role in Singapore’s communications with the world, as mail was the main mode of long-distance communication then. Over the years, the building also housed other government offices which played important roles in Singapore’s nation building. From 1950s to the 1980s, the former Fullerton Building witnessed several political rallies that were held at the Fullerton Square, including many speeches that were delivered by Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Learn more about the former Fullerton Building/General Post Office

• National Heritage Board. (2022). “Former Fullerton Building.”

National Gallery Singapore

The National Gallery Singapore was converted from the former Supreme Court and City Hall. The two national monuments witnessed many key events in Singapore’s passage to nationhood, and were gazetted as national monuments in 1992.

The former Supreme Court building, which was constructed between 1937 and 1939, was the seat of Singapore’s highest court from 1939 to 2005. The building was the site where many of Singapore’s landmark cases were tried, including war crime trials of members of the Japanese Imperial Army in 1946 after World War II.

The former City Hall was constructed from 1926 to 1929. After Singapore’s independence, it housed various government offices and was the venue for swearing-in ceremonies of high government office-holders. The former City Hall was also the site where the first Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, and his eight cabinet ministers were sworn in, forming the first fully elected government in Singapore on 5 June 1959. It was also where Mr Yusof Ishak was sworn in as Singapore’s first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State) on 3 December 1959. The state anthem, state crest and state flag were unveiled to the public there.

Learn more about the former Supreme Court and City Hall:

• National Gallery Singapore. (2023). “Celebrating the rich history of the building.”
  
• Vernon Cornelius and Joanna HS Tan. (2011). “Former Supreme Court Building.” Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board, Singapore
  
• Preservation of Sites and Monuments. (2016). “Former City Hall.” Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board, Singapore

 1. Will MAS be issuing the coins in premium material like gold or silver? 
No. The coin will only be issued in aluminium bronze material, to keep it affordable for those who wish to own a piece of this keepsake. 

2. What is the mintage of the LKY100 coin programme? How did MAS decide on the mintage?
MAS has minted a total of 4 million LKY100 coins. This will meet the demand from the online application exercise conducted in May 2023, where we received more than 700,000 applications for 3.3 million coins. The remaining coins will be available for general exchange from 4 December 2023.

3. Who is the designer of the LKY100 coin?
The commemorative coin was designed by Mr Weng Ziyan. Mr Weng is a local designer with extensive experience in designing commemorative currency notes and coins. He also designed the Singapore Bicentennial commemorative note, Singapore Botanic Gardens UNESCO World Heritage Site commemorative coin and SG50 commemorative notes and coins. 

4. How did MAS decide on the denomination for the LKY100 coin?
The $10 denomination was chosen to differentiate the LKY100 coin from the current circulation coin denominations, as well as to make the coin affordable for all Singaporeans. 

5. Why were these elements featured on the coin design?
 The design features a portrait of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, accompanied in the foreground by the Marina Barrage, representing Mr Lee’s vision to build a freshwater reservoir in the city, strengthening Singapore’s water resilience. The backdrop is the skyline of the Raffles Place financial district, and two heritage buildings which have witnessed significant milestones in Singapore’s history – Fullerton Hotel (formerly the Fullerton Building/General Post Office) and National Gallery Singapore (formerly the Supreme Court and City Hall).

6. What is a latent image and how can I see the year dates of the latent image more clearly?
A latent image refers to the special design feature on the coin, where a hidden or concealed image becomes visible under certain lighting conditions or when viewed from a specific angle. In the case of the LKY100 coin, the dual latent image features Mr Lee’s birth year ‘1923’ viewed from one angle, and his 100th birth anniversary ‘2023’ viewed from another.

In order to see the year dates alternate between 1923 and 2023 clearly, tilt the coin from left to right and right to left under well-lit conditions. Dim or uneven lighting may make it difficult to see the latent image clearly.

7. Why did MAS set an order limit of five coins for the commemorative coins? Why can’t MAS mint on demand?

The online application together with the order limit of five coins per applicant strikes a good balance in ensuring that every Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident who makes an application can obtain at least one coin, while minimising wastage. 

The online application closed on 9 June 2023, and all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who applied for the coins will be allotted the full quantity requested. From 4 December 2023, all uncollected and remaining coins will be available to the general public, including those who were not able to participate in the online application, for exchange at selected bank branches.

8. Will MAS be producing additional commemorative coins and folders in the event the demand is overwhelming? 
As this is a one-off commemorative issuance, MAS will not be producing additional coins, beyond the mintage of 4 million.

The 4 million coins minted will meet the demand from the online application exercise conducted in May 2023, where we received more than 700,000 applications for 3.3 million coins.  

All uncollected and remaining coins will be made available to the general public, including non-Singaporeans, at selected bank branches from 4 December onwards, through a walk-in exchange. 

9. I am a foreigner. How do I obtain the coins?
All uncollected or remaining coins will be made available to the general public, including non-Singaporeans, for exchange at selected bank branches from 4 December 2023 onwards. 

10. I missed the online application deadline. How can I obtain the coins?
All uncollected and remaining coins will be made available to the general public, including non-Singaporeans, for exchange at selected bank branches from 4 December 2023 onwards.   

11. I missed the online application deadline. Why can’t we do the exchange for the excess coins earlier? 
Successful applicants who applied for the coin during the online application will be given priority to exchange for the coins. This is to avoid overcrowding at the bank branches. 

After the collection window for online applicants has ended, all uncollected and remaining coins will be made available to the general public, including non-Singaporeans, for exchange at selected bank branches from 4 December 2023 onwards. 

12. What are the key dates for the collection of the LKY100 coin?

Successful applicants should take note of the following dates:

• 21 August – 30 September: Each applicant will receive an SMS from MAS within this window, indicating the number of coins they have been allotted, and a 2-week collection period and bank branch from which to collect the coins. 
• 4 September – 26 November: Each applicant will be allocated a 2-week collection period within this window to collect their coins at their designated bank branch.
• 27 November – 3 December: Applicants who are unable to collect their coins during their allocated 2-week collection period can do so at their designated bank branch during this window. 

From 4 December, all uncollected and remaining coins will be made available to the general public, including non-Singaporeans, for exchange at selected bank branches. 

13. What should I do if I have been allocated the LKY100 coin, but am unable to do the collection during my allocated collection period? Can I collect the coin outside of my allocated slot?
You should adhere to your allocated collection period. This is to avoid overcrowding at bank branches during other collection periods. Furthermore, your designated bank branch may not have extra stock for you outside of your collection period. 

If you are unable to collect the coins within your allocated collection period, you can do so from your designated bank branch from 27 November to 3 December.

Alternatively, you may ask a friend or family member to collect the coin(s) on your behalf at your designated bank branch during your allocated collection period by providing them with a copy of your NRIC/birth certificate and screenshot of the SMS notification sent by MAS.

14. I wish to help my family members/friends collect the coin when I collect mine. However, they were allocated a different bank branch/collection period from me. Can I collect on their behalf?
To manage overcrowding and storage constraints at bank branches, applicants are allocated a designated bank branch and a two-week collection period to collect the coins. The number of coins  delivered to the respective bank branches is also based on the allocated collection periods. Hence, you will only be able to collect the quantity of coins allocated to you during your allocated 2-week collection period at your designated bank branch. 

If you are collecting the coins on behalf of your family members or friends, you will need to do so at their designated bank branch during their allocated collection period.

15. What should I do if I have been allocated the LKY100 coin, but wish to change the designated bank branch where I can collect the coin?
As your coin(s) will be delivered to your designated bank branch, you will only be able to collect your coin(s) there. If you are unable to visit that bank branch during your allocated collection period, you may consider seeking help from a friend or family member to collect the coin(s) on your behalf during your allocated collection period by providing them with a copy of your NRIC or birth certificate and the SMS notification.  

Alternatively, you may walk-in to selected bank branches from 4 December 2023 onwards to exchange for the coins. However, availability of stock will be on a first-come-first-served basis. 

16. What should I do if I have been allocated some LKY100 coins, but I want more or fewer coins?
For more coins: You will only be able to collect the quantity of coins allotted to you, during your allocated collection period. You may exchange for more coins during the walk-in exchange period from 4 December 2023 onwards if there are remaining coins after the end of the collection window. 

For fewer coins: You may collect fewer coins than your allotted quantity. However, please note that you will only be allowed to do a one-time collection and any remaining uncollected coins will be released to the general public for walk-in exchange. 

17. I received an SMS with a link leading me to a site requesting for payment of the coins which I have ordered. Is this legitimate? 
Do not click on the link or reply to the SMS. All SMS notifications from MAS for the LKY100 coin will not contain any clickable URL link nor ask for any upfront payment. Successful applicants will pay for the coin(s), at its face value of $10 each, when exchanging the coin(s) at the banks.

In addition, SMS notifications from MAS sent to Singapore mobile numbers will be identifiable by the “MAS” sender ID which is registered with the Singapore SMS Sender ID Registry.

If you detect any suspicious messages relating to this commemorative coin programme, please call us at 62255577 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm, excluding Public Holidays) or write to us at https://www.mas.gov.sg/feedback . Alternatively, you may also submit a police report  or call the Police at 1800 255 0000.

18. What mode(s) of payment is available at the banks? 
If you have an account with your designated bank branch, you may pay for the coin(s) either in cash or via direct debit from your bank account. If you do not have a banking account with your designated bank branch, you will be required to pay in cash. Some banks may offer e-payment options. Please check with the respective banks on the payment options offered.
 
19. I submitted an online application but did not receive an SMS informing me of my coin collection. What should I do?
The SMS notifications will be sent out in batches between 21 August to 30 September. The SMS will indicate the number of coins allotted, the allocated 2-week collection period and bank branch from which to collect the coins. If you have not received the SMS, do keep a look out for it. 

If you do not receive the SMS notification by 30 September, please contact MAS at https://www.mas.gov.sg/feedback or 6225 5577 to check on the status of your application. 

20. I have received the SMS on my coin allotment. However, the bank branch for coin collection is different from my application. Why is this so?
Due to overwhelming demand, we are unable to allocate your preferred bank branch to you. To facilitate a smoother collection experience including shorter waiting times, we have reallocated some members of the public to other bank branches.  Please refer to Q15 on “What should I do if I have been allocated the LKY100 coin, but wish to change the designated bank branch where I can collect the coin?”  if you are unable to collect from your designated bank branch.

21. MAS’ media release mentioned that everyone was allotted their requested quantity. However, the SMS that I received showed a different coin quantity allotted from my application. Why is this so?
Please contact MAS at https://www.mas.gov.sg/feedback  or 6225 5577 if your allotment is different from your application. 

22. Do I need to produce the original NRIC/Birth Certificate to collect the coins? Can I use a copy instead? (for collection until 3 December only)
Photocopies, screenshots or digital copies of your NRIC/Birth Certificate are allowed. A photoID containing the NRIC/birth certificate number of the applicant is also allowed, e.g. driving license, EZlink concession cards.

23. Is there a limit to the number of coins I can exchange from 4 December 2023?
There is no restriction on the number of coins the public can exchange per transaction, but it will be subject to the daily stock availability at the bank branches on a first-come-first-served basis.

24. Can non-Singaporeans exchange for the coins?
Yes, non-Singaporeans may participate in the walk-in exchange from 4 December onwards.

25. What do I need to produce for the exchange of coins?
You are required to bring along your NRIC, passport or work pass for the exchange.

26. Do I need to be an account-holder of the bank in order to do the walk-in exchange?
Other than Citibank, you do not need to be an account-holder of all other banks to participate in the walk-in exchange. However, please note that the transaction time may be longer for non-account holders of the bank. 

27. What are the modes of payment available?
Payment may be made via cash, direct debit from your bank account (if you are a customer of the bank) or through other e-payment options that each bank branch may offer. Please check with the respective banks on the payment options offered.

28. I went to a bank branch and they told me that there are no more coins for exchange. Why is this so?
As there is limited coin stock at bank branches each day, you may wish to return on another day before 31 December 2023.

However, should the bank branch run out of coin stock fully, you may wish to visit another bank branch with available stock.

29. I am interested to exchange for the coins but I will be overseas in December and only back in January. Can the banks keep the coins for me?
We advise you to get help from family members or friends to exchange for the coins as the exchange period ends on 31 December, or when stocks run out, whichever is earlier.

30. I have been allocated some coins previously and have done my collection. Can I still exchange for more coins during the walk-in?
Yes, you may exchange for more coins.

31. I have been allocated some coins previously and missed my collection. Can I be given priority to collect my coins during the walk-in?
Those who were not able to collect their coins during their allocated period may do so in the week of 27 November to 3 December. Alternatively, you may ask a friend or family member to collect the coin(s) on your behalf at your designated bank branch during this week by providing them with a copy of your NRIC/birth certificate and screenshot of the SMS notification sent by MAS.

From 4 December, all uncollected and remaining coins will be made available to the general public, including non-Singaporeans, for walk-in exchange. We are unable to make special arrangements to set aside the coin(s) during this period.

32. I am from a corporate and would like to order coins in bulk. How can I do so?
You may approach any bank, preferably one that you have a corporate account with, for bulk exchange of the coins. If you are exchanging a large quantity, the banks may require you to return on another day to collect your coins as the daily stock at the branches may not be sufficient to meet your requirement.

33. Will the banks accept my LKY100 coins for deposit?

Yes, banks will accept the coins for deposit over the counter as it is legal tender. However, you will not be able to deposit it at the cash deposit machines as the machines are not calibrated to accept these limited-edition coins.

34. Can I use the coins for payment? 
Yes, the coins are legal tender, and can be used to pay for goods and services in Singapore.