Bank.notes

Collection Singapore #523

✓ All clear
More ▾

1 SGD

Singapore 1946_1989 VF P-1a AI extracted ✦ AI 92%
Front · IMG_7241.HEIC cropped
Back · IMG_7242.HEIC cropped
Pair check: not yet checked
Identity

Where & when

Country Singapore
Currency SGD
Denomination 1
Series name Orchid series
Series year
Issue year
Era 1946_1989
Legal status demonetized
Predecessor currency Malaya and British Borneo dollar
Successor currency Bird series
Subjects & design

What's on the note

Front portrait
Reverse subject Traditional Chinese junk sailing vessel
Watermark Lion's head in clear field at left
Color palette #f5deb3,#4682b4,#2f4f4f
Themes architecture,transport,commemorative
Language / script Latin, Chinese (Traditional), Jawi, Tamil

Front: The former Supreme Court building of Singapore (now the National Gallery Singapore), a neoclassical building completed in 1939 designed by Public Works Department architect Frank Dorrington Ward. The scene depicts a military or ceremonial parade in front of the building, showing troops marching in formation beneath palm trees. This building served as Singapore's Supreme Court from 1939 until 2005 and is one of the most architecturally significant colonial-era structures in the city-state, featuring Corinthian columns and a distinctive dome. It was converted into the National Gallery Singapore in 2015.

Back: Traditional Chinese junk sailing vessel with three masts and characteristic battened sails, representing Singapore's maritime heritage and importance as a port. The junk symbolizes the waves of Chinese migration and trade that shaped Singapore's development as a major commercial hub in Southeast Asia. The Board of Commissioners of Currency coat of arms appears at left, featuring a lion and crescent moon. The note includes text in four languages: English, Chinese, Malay (in Jawi script), and Tamil, reflecting Singapore's multicultural society.

Production

How it was made

Issuer Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore
Issuer (native)
Printer Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd
Engraver
Material paper
Dimensions (mm) 142x72

Signatures: Chairman, Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore: Hon Sui Sen

Security features: microprint,intaglio

Geography

Singapore in Asia

Singapore in Asia. Other countries on the same continent shown in muted grey.

The story

Background & history

This is a first-issue Orchid series $1 note, Singapore's first national currency series following independence in 1965 and the dissolution of the currency union with Malaya and British Borneo. The series was issued from 1967 to 1976 and featured orchids (Singapore's national flower) in the watermark and design elements. Hon Sui Sen served as the first Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Currency from 1967 to 1983. The serial number format 'C/52' indicates a specific printing run or series within the first issue. Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd of England printed these notes. The series was withdrawn from circulation on 1 October 1987 when the Bird series was introduced, though remained legal tender until fully demonetized.

Catalogue

Collector references

Pick # 1a
Krause ID
Rarity tier common
Series range 1967–1976
Provenance

How it came to me

Acquired date
Acquired from
Acquired price
Currency
Condition
Grade VF
Serial number C/52 136058
Serial prefix C/52

Light handling evident, minor edge wear visible, colors remain vibrant

Valuation

What it's worth now

$20–$50
Type default range $20–$50
Valuation history (1)
datelowhighcurrencysourcenote
2026-05-10 07:14:42 20.0 50.0 USD ai from claude-sonnet-4-5
Technical

History & extractions

AI extractions (1)
anthropic · claude-sonnet-4-5 2026-05-10 07:14:42
status: ok · step 1 · $0.0408 · 7395↓ + 1241↑ tokens
Edits & decisions (0)

No edits yet.

Power tools

Manual fixups

Find near-duplicates
Look for visually-similar images in your collection.
Manual pairing override