The Square Shape Coin

For the younger generation, they might find that a coin in square shape is interesting, this square shape coin can be found mostly in half cent and one cent coin with bronze material.

Between the Straits Settlements to Malaya & British Borneo era, only 3 British Royal portrait can be found in the square shape coin design, which is King George V with half cent dated 1932 and one cent dated 1919, 1920 and 1926. Next is King George VI with half cent dated 1940 and one cent dated 1939, 1940, 1941(some call it as 1941i due to the mintmark on coin), 1943 and 1945. And for the Queen Elizabeth II version only have the one cent which dated 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1961.

1939 Malaya 20 cents coin

In this post, let us have a look on the 1939 Malaya 20 cents coin, with the portrait of the King George VI minted on the coin.

This coin is not expensive for numismatic collector, but it have some interesting history fact that I would like to share on this coin.

1939 is the year that Malayan Dollar replace the Straits Settlements currency, and it is issued by Board of Commissioners Currency Malaya, the history of the Malayan Dollar can be found in the Wikipedia link here.

Here are some fact that I like this coin,

1. In their previous issues of Straits Settlement coin, the highest denomination for Queen Victoria version is 50 cents, and one dollar for King Edward VII and King George V, even after that the Queen Elizabeth II have the highest denomination of 50 cent for coin, but the King George VI series 20 cent is the highest denomination for coin.

2. This is consider the last series of the coin minting using silver as material, from 1948 onwards, the King George VI series of coin change the minting material to copper-nickel and it continues to the Queen Elizabeth II series, this is due to the shortage of minting material during the World War II at that period of time.

3. Due to the shortage of minting material as stated in the above fact, there are paper money of 20 cent banknotes issued, it is also the era when the 1 cent to 20 cent have both coin and banknotes version.

Knowing the Bank Negara Malaysia Gabenor Signature

In the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Official website, at the time of writing, Malaysia have total of 4 series of banknotes issued since the BNM taking the authority of banknotes issuing power after the Malaysia independence.

But in the local numismatic guide book, you may found that will have a total of 14 series of banknotes, so how did this happened?

Firstly, when BNM stated there are 4 series of Malaysia banknotes, it is mainly straight forward as stating there are total 4 design of Malaysia banknotes issued until to date. As for every Malaysia banknotes are printed with the BNM Gabenor signature, due to one design of the said banknotes may have 2 to 3 different Gabenor signature, due to the resignation or new appointment during that period of time, numismatic collector will consider each different Gabenor signature as a different series.

So some banknotes of design may have different Gabenor signature and some Gabenor may have the opportunity to have their signature on 2 different design of banknotes.

In this post, I'm sharing the info of BNM Gabenor with their signature which this photo are taking from one of the past exhibition at Sasana Kijang Museum.  

Trigometric Auction 11

Trigometric Sdn. Bhd. initially plan to organize their 11th auction and 5th Kuala Lumpur International Numismatic Fair on 19th to 22nd March 2020 at Parkroyal Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the auction have to be postponed and the fair need to be call off due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) announce by Prime Minister of Malaysia on 16th March 2020, which the MCO started from 18th March 2020 due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, and have been gone through few stages at the time of writing.

Today Trigometric announce that the 11th auction will be re-schedule to 6th to 7th June 2020 which the bid can be carry out at their website https://auctions.thetrigo.org/ .

1920 Straits Settlements One Dollar

In the previous post, I had share some of the photo of Straits Settlements one dollar coin with King Edward VII portrait, and since there are no one dollar coin issued under Queen Victoria era, so for one dollar Straits Settlements coin there are only 2 portrait had been issued, King Edward VII and the King George V.

Getting one beautiful photo from the Pegasus Auctions website, this is the piece dated 1920, the King George V portrait can be seen on this one dollar Straits Settlements coin with year 1919 & 1920 minted on coin, which is the most common years found in the market, although it have the 1925 & 1926 record in the numismatic guide book, but their mintage is unknown, and I haven't seen one selling in the market.

This particular of Straits Settlements one dollar coin also have the restrike proof version.

Queen Victoria 50 cents Private Medalic

Queen Victoria Straits Settlement coin is one of the favourite theme for Malaysia numismatic lover, the largest denomination in this series is 50 cents coin that issued between 1886 to 1901, but this coin is not cheap even in the EF condition, so UNC is consider rare with much higher pricing.

In 2019, I found that there are 100 pieces of the private issue medallic, using the design of 1889 Queen Victoria 50 cents Straits Settlement coin, is selling in the local numismatic channel in NCG slab, I think this is a very beautiful design which NGC give them a PFUC (Proof Ultra Cameo) grading. For those who wish to enjoy the eye appealing design can consider to have it but of course in numismatic value, it is still just a private issue medallic and not a real coin.

And when I browse through the NGC population record, interestingly found that there are another 100 pieces of the private issue medallic issued in this year, and it is in the design of 1893 Queen Victoria 50 cents Straits Settlement coin, at the time of writing I still didn't see any of them selling at local market.

I'm also curios it is which party or company issuing this private issue medallic.