Singapore $1 Dollar Coin
The one-dollar coin has came into circulation at the time of the MRT construction on the island. Reverend Hong was an expert at feng shui and after taking lots of readings he said that the proposed constellation of MRTs tunnels and the huge amount of metal being driven deep into the Singapore bed rock would sever Singapore’s Dragon Vein which is very bad for the nation.
Reverend Hong then offered the following advice: “If you want to continue with project, then you must give every Singaporean household – Indian, Malay, Eurasian, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim – every single one of them a Chinese Ba Gua. Or else Singapore will sink.” How can every household own a Chinese Ba Gua without touching the sensitivity of race? Well, an ingenious idea then struck, and hence Singapore $1 coin is born!
Another similar theory is also used on our Road Tax: If you recall, it used to be round and now, it’s octagonal and it is definitely displayed.
TheyAllSay Singapore’s $1 Coin Is A Chinese Ba Gua
Can you see the golden hexagon circumscribing our coat of arms?
Look at your $1 coin closely. Doesn’t matter if it’s the old one or the new one. If you have both, even better, put the two side by side and scrutinise them. Do you see something similar in both of them? Yes, the Singapore $1 coin has gold hexagon which circumscribes an inner circle. Do you know why?
Well, it’s because #TheyAllSay that the one-dollar coin came into circulation at the time when the MRT was being constructed on the island. A certain expert at fengshui, Reverend Hong, was said to have taken lots of readings. He said that the proposed constellation of MRTs tunnels and the huge amount of metal being driven deep into the Singapore bed rock would sever Singapore’s Dragon Vein – which would be very bad for the nation. He then offered the following advice: “If you want to continue with the project, then you must give every Singaporean household – Indian, Malay, Eurasian, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim – every single one of them a Chinese Ba Gua. Or else Singapore will sink.”
Now, honestly, if you were to distribute a ba gua to everyone, it will offend a lot of people. And that’s why #TheyAllSay that this is why the $1 coin is hexagonal – so that everyone, regardless of race and religion, will have a ba gua to prevent Singapore from sinking. Interesting myth. And even more interesting that the new $1 coin design has retained the gold hexagon in its design. But if you ask me, it’s gonna take more than just fengshui to keep Singapore and her economy afloat, don’t you think?
Another Story About Singapore $1 Coin
Have you even seen a $1 Singapore coin? It is hexagon shaped. The one dollar coin is inscribed with an octagon, which looks like a Chinese Bagua. It seems that the Feng Shui masters in Singapore said that the construction of the MRT tunnels through downtown Singapore would have a negative effect on the country and her people. To counter this, they recommended that every household display a bagua to negate this. As there were many locals who did not adhere to this Chinese belief, the hexagon shaped design was incorporated into the one dollar coin.
Hearsay has it that Singapore’s senior minister, Lee Kwan Yew who is a firm believer in Feng Shui was told by fortune tellers that his dynasty would remain in power as long as the octagon was spread throughout Singapore. There is another story about Mr Lee again making some changes on the face of the one dollar coin to correct the Feng Shui of his country’s economy. I wonder how many of you noticed the differences between a more dated $1 coin and one that is more recently created. I’m sure most of us know that MM Lee is a believer of fengshui. Besides the octagonal shape of our $1 coin, there’s something else people missed out.
Take a look at the close up of this coin dated 1989. That was how the back of our $1 coin looked. Notice the banner right above “1989″ and the invisible arc line formed between the animals’ heads – they are both arched downwards. After some advice from the Shi Fu, take a look at the change in the coin again. You notice it? How does it look to you? It sure looks like a smiley face to me. By the way, who know the exact answers to the reason of the change in the coin?
The One Dollar Ba Gua Coin Myth
We use it everyday, but little do we know the myth behind it. The myth tells that the construction of MRT tunnels was detrimental to the nation as it would sever Singapore’s ‘dragon vein’. In Feng Shui, dragon vein refers to the mountain ranges that represent the prosperity of a nation; breaking the dragon vein would cause bad Feng shui and calamity if not counteracted.
It is said that then-senior minister Lee Kuan Yew consulted Feng Shui expert Reverend Hong on the matter. Reverend Hong proposed that every Singaporean household must be given a Chinese Ba Gua (Eight Trigrams) to counter the bad Feng Shui caused by the MRT tunnels. To avoid the sensitivity of religion, the Ba Gua was brilliantly incorporated into the design of the golden dollar coin. As part of the “Second Series”, the Ba Gua dollar coin began circulation on 28 September 1987, two months before the inaugural launch of the MRT system (on 7 November 1987).
As if the dollar coin is not enough, the octagonal shape can be seen in both the paper notes (the silvery portion) and the road tax label. However, in an interview in 2008, late Minister Mentor Lee openly called superstitions, horoscopes and Feng Shui “utter rubbish”, at once busting the Ba Gua coin myth. So, will carrying more one dollar coins lead to less MRT breakdowns?
Singapore S$1 coin is in a shape of the Chinese ba gua
If you take a close look at the S$1 coin, you’ll notice that it is hexagon-shaped. According to fengshuibeginner.com, the Singapore one-dollar coin is inscribed with an octagon which looks like the Chinese ba gua.
The ba gua, which literally translates to ‘eight areas’, represents eight symbols commonly used in Taoist cosmology. Legend has it that the feng shui (Chinese geomancy) masters that Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had consulted said that the construction of the MRT tunnels would have a negative effect on the country and its people. To circumvent the bad feng shui, they said that every Singaporean household MUST have a ba gua displayed.
Obviously, this was impossible to implement. Therefore, they decided to incorporate the hexagon-shape into the one-dollar coin instead. Now you know.
The "Bagua" $1 coin
Singaporean uses the $1 note before LKY introduced the “Ba Gua” $1 coin. Both 1st version and the 2nd version of the coin also has a “Ba Gua” shape on the coin.
The reason why the “ba Gua” $1 coin was introduced to replace the $1 note. (Not sure my version is correct), LKY believe in fengshui and one very famous Monk told him for Singapore to Flourish, every Singaporean must carry a “Ba Gua”.
So to make all races carries the “Ba Gua”, whether you are a Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Taoist etc LKY introduce the “Ba Gua” $1 coin. Every will definitely have one in their pocket Including children.
Bagua
Fuxi's "Earlier Heaven" bagua arrangement
The bagua (Chinese: 八卦; pinyin: bāguà; lit. 'eight trigrams') is a set of symbols from China intended to illustrate the nature of reality as being composed of mutually opposing forces reinforcing one another. Bagua is a group of trigrams—composed of three lines, each either "broken" or "unbroken", which represent yin and yang, respectively. Each line having two possible states allows for a total of 2 × 2 × 2 = 8 trigrams, whose early enumeration and characterization in China has had an effect on the history of Chinese philosophy and cosmology.
The trigrams are related to the divination practice as described within the I Ching and practiced as part of the Shang and Zhou state religion, as well as with the concepts of taiji and the five elements within traditional Chinese metaphysics.[citation needed] The trigrams have correspondences in astronomy, divination, meditation, astrology, geography, geomancy (feng shui), anatomy, decorative arts, the family, martial arts (particularly tai chi and baguazhang), Chinese medicine and elsewhere. The bagua can appear singly or in combination and is commonly encountered in two different arrangements: the Primordial (先天八卦), "Earlier Heaven", or "Fuxi" bagua (伏羲八卦) and the Manifested (後天八卦), "Later Heaven", or "King Wen" bagua.
In the I Ching, two trigrams are stacked together to create a six-line figure known as a hexagram. There are 64 possible permutations. The 64 hexagrams and their descriptions make up the book. The trigram symbolism can be used to interpret the hexagram figure and text. An example from Hexagram 19 commentary is "The earth above the lake: The image of Approach. Thus the superior man is inexhaustible in his will to teach, and without limits in his tolerance and protection of the people." The trigrams have been used to organize Yijing charts.
Circulation Currency: Coins
Third Series (2013 - Present)
The Third Series coins, comprising five denominations, were issued into circulation on 25 June 2013. The coins mark Singapore’s progress as a nation. 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.
There are six denominations in the Second Series. Four denominations, namely the 5-cent, 10-cent, 20-cent and 50-cent coins, were the first to make their appearance on 2 December 1985, followed by the 1-cent and 1-dollar coins on 28 September 1987. 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. MAS stopped issuing the 1-cent coin from 1 April 2002 as the denomination was not actively used by the public. The 1-cent coins that are in circulation remain legal tender in Singapore and can continue to be used as a means of payment for goods and services.
The First Series coins, comprising six denominations, were issued into circulation on 20 November 1967. 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.
Circulation Currency: Notes
4th Series - The Portrait Series Currency Notes (1999- Present)
The Portrait Series notes are the fourth series of currency notes launched on 9 September 1999. This series has only seven denominations as the $1 and $500 denominations were excluded from this series. It marks the first time a portrait is featured as its main design theme. The portrait of Singapore's first President, the late Encik Yusof Bin Ishak, was chosen to honour his invaluable contribution towards nation-building. Portraits are used in the note designs to act as an effective security feature for the protection of currency notes against counterfeiting. Unlike animals or inanimate objects, the distinctive fine lines of the facial expressions on portraits are instantly recognisable and difficult to reproduce. Any slight change (such as a line, a dot or even a slight variation in colour) when producing a portrait, will alter the expression of the portrait. The Portrait Series strikes a balance between simplicity and clarity in design on one hand, and sophistication in security features on the other. At the same time, the security features must be effective and easy for people to recognise and remember. To help meet these requirements, a standard design approach was adopted across all denominations of the Portrait Series.
3rd Series - The Ship Series Currency Notes (1984 - 1999)
Similar to the Bird and Orchid Series, the Ship Series also has nine denominations. The denominations are similar except that the previous $20 note was discontinued and a new $2 note denomination was introduced. The pictorial and aesthetic themes of this series are based on maritime vessels and the modern development of Singapore. The vignettes on the front of the Ship notes depict vessels that have plied the waters of Singapore over the centuries. The series pays tribute to the contributions of merchant shipping to the development of Singapore from an entrepot trading centre to the busiest port in the world. It starts with the merchant craft of bygone days and progresses to the modern bulk carrier which is featured on the highest denomination.
2nd Series - The Bird Series Currency Notes (1976 - 1984)
This series has nine denominations except that a $20 note was introduced to replace the $25 note of the Orchid series. The dominant feature is a bird on the left side of the front of each note. The birds depicted on the notes are noted for their strength, adaptability and independence which characterise the young Republic of Singapore with the potential of soaring to greater heights in its progress.
1st Series - The Orchid Series Currency Notes (1967 - 1976)
The Orchid Series has nine denominations. The dominant feature is a spray of orchids in the centre of the front of each note.
The Singapore Dollar SGD
The Singapore dollar (sign: S$; code: SGD) is the official currency of the Republic of Singapore. It is divided into 100 cents. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issues the banknotes and coins of the Singapore dollar.
As of 2022, the Singapore dollar is the 10th most-traded currency in the world by value. Apart from its use in Singapore, the Singapore dollar is also accepted as customary tender in Brunei according to the Currency Interchangeability Agreement between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam). Likewise, the Brunei dollar is also customarily accepted in Singapore.
Banknotes Series:
- Orchid series 1967 - The Orchid Series of currency notes is the earliest to be in for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1967 to 1976, it has nine denominations: $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, and $10,000. Each note has an orchid design in the centre of the note's front, the orchid being the national flower of Singapore. A scene of Singapore is depicted on the back, which varies across denominations. Standard on each note, is the Coat of Arms, a lion head watermark, and the signature of the Minister for Finance and chairman of the BCCS, on the front of the note. As an added security feature, all notes have at least one vertically embedded security thread, while the $10,000 note has two.
- Bird series 1976 - 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 Orchid Series, albeit the $25 note was replaced by the $20 note. Each note features a bird on the left side of the note's front, a theme selected to represent a young Singapore "ever ready to take flight to greater heights". Standard on each note, is the Coat of Arms, a lion head watermark, and the signature of the Minister for Finance and chairman of the BCCS, on the front of the note. As an added security feature, all notes have a vertically embedded security thread, while the $1,000 and $10,000 notes have two.
- Ship series 1984 - 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. A maritime theme to reflect Singapore's maritime heritage was adopted, and progressively shows across the various denominations, the different kinds of ships which have plied Singapore's waters as the country developed. These vignettes are located on the front of the note. On the back, various scenes depicting Singapore's achievements are shown, as well as an orchid, to symbolise the country's national flower. Standard on each note, is the Coat of Arms, a lion head watermark, and the signature of the Minister for Finance and chairman of the BCCS, on the front of the note. As an added security feature, all notes have a vertically embedded security thread.
- Portrait series 1999 - The current Portrait series was introduced in 1999, with the one- 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. 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. The notes also have Braille patterns at the top right-hand corner of the front design.
Singapore Currency Notes
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