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500 Dollars
| Issuer | Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore |
|---|---|
| Year | 1977 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Dollar (1967-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | A vignette of a Black-naped Oriole occupies the left portion of the note, set against a green guilloche underprint with the country's silhouette overlaid by the denomination legend "FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS". The city skyline appears along the lower register, with two serial numbers and the Minister of Finance signature printed over it, while the right margin incorporates the watermark zone surmounted by the national coat of arms and the "$500" denomination numeral. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A central intaglio vignette presents an aerial view of Singapore's industrial waterfront with an oil refinery complex on an island, surrounded by vessels at sea and a dense urban landscape extending inland. A traditional Malay dancer in full costume appears at the right, framed by ornate guilloche scrollwork borders. The denomination "$500" appears in the upper left and lower right corners, with "SINGAPORE" inscribed across the top centre. |
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| Comments |
The Board of Commissioners of Currency was Singapore's sole note-issuing authority from 1967, when the country broke from the joint currency arrangement it had shared with Malaysia and Brunei. The split required Singapore to establish its own printing relationships quickly, and Thomas De La Rue became the primary supplier for the early Orchid and Bird series issues.
The $500 denomination had real purchasing power in 1977 Singapore — roughly equivalent to several months' wages for a factory worker. High-value notes from this series circulated less than lower denominations but were also less carefully preserved when found, as they tended to move through commercial channels rather than retail hands.
P#15 carries only a watermark as its listed security feature, notably absent the security thread that would appear in later Singapore issues.