Malaysia RM1 6th Series ~ Semi-Solid Numbers

This is my other unique modern Malaysian banknote with the first prefix FD and semi-solid serial numbers.                                              

Malaysia 1st Series RM1 Colour Error?

This 1st series Malaysian Banknote was engraved and printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd.

The note measures 121mm x 64mm and bears the portrait of Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Rahman, first King of Malaysia. This note has straight thread security line which is of the first variety type.

What makes this piece interesting is that the blue is of a different shade from the rest, whereas the multi-coloured central ornamental pieces retains it's original colours, could this be a colour error or the handiwork of someone?

Any of my Malaysian fellow collectors care to comment?

"FILTHY MONEY" ~~~ Straits Settlements Paper Banknote Series?

 

In a recent auction, this repaired centre hole VF piece was sold for US$266.91including the buyer's premium of 16.05%.

                                                        (Expensive Filthy Money )

ex-Mavin Auction 25 dated 13 November 2010

These two Straits One Dollar notes dated 20 June 1921 and 5 September 1924 was bought in the 80's and each cost a mere fraction(< US$50.00).

(Cheap Filthy Money)

              Why FILTHY ?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the following articles were from the newspaper of that era:

                                                                

This could be the reason why polymer notes are being issued after almost a hundred years later.

Straits Settlements Emergency 10cents Banknotes

On the 5th October 1917, the Straits Government issued an official Government Gazatte notice no:1313 announcing the intention of issuing the 10 cents banknote to counter the shortage of coins in the Straits Settlements.

The 10-cent note, locally designed and printed at the Government Printing Office, was a poor production, A thick open texture paper was employed which quickly absorbed moisture and dirt. It maybe unsuitable for the many and varied transactions of the population, nevertheless it had a large issue owning to the shortage of coins.

                                            Extracted from Coins and Coinages by F.Pridmore.

Hence, this publication from the Straits Times dated 15th Oct 1917.                          

This series has many issue dates and was either signed by H. Marriott, the Acting Treasurer or A.M. Pountney, the Treasurer. The first issue date was 1/10/1917 and last was 10/6/1920.

It is a tremendous challenge to have a complete series, something like 31 dates.

The first date of issue, 1.10.17, signed by the Acting Treasurer H. Marriott, and the only issue with the No. notation

Another date of issue, 1.1.18, signed by the Acting Treasurer H. Marriott, but with slight inking error of the serial number.

This variety carries the Tresurer A.M. Pountney signature with a date of 8.8.1919

Another A.M Pountney signature dated 25.2.1920

Do drop me a note if you have got the complete series. Happy Collecting!

King George V 1931 ~ 1935 series Banknotes

The Straits Times 12 Mar 1932

The First Series 1.1.1931  with Treasurer Malcolm Bond Shelley signature.

The Fifth Series 1.1.1935 with Treasurer Alexander Sym Small signature.

The Straits Times 4 August 1932

The First Series 1.1.1931  with Treasurer Malcolm Bond Shelley signature.

The Fourth Series 1.1.1933  with Treasurer Alexander Sym Small signature.

The Fifth Series 1.1.1935 with Treasurer Alexander Sym Small signature.



The Straits Times 17 June 1933

                             The Fifth Series 1.1.1935 with Treasurer Alexander Sym Small signature.


                 Treasurers' name corrections courtesy of Mike Prizov & Owen W. Linzmayer


Odd For Thought:

These new series was designed to beat the rampant counterfeiters of the early 1900s.

This article from The Straits Times dated 8 Aug 1933 mentioned also about seeking advice on how to remove the "Specimen" wording that was stamped onto the new $5 note and that they can fill the perforated holes, how naive can people get? If only they knew how expensive and rare specimen notes are!

Back to the original story of counterfeiting, apparently the new series did not even bat an eyelid for the forgers...............

 

                                             The Straits Times 6 Sept 1936                                                 

Articles from The Straits Times

Straits Settlements Pre-Monarchy Portrait Series 1925 to 1930

                               
                                                                                       

                                             

The Straits Times 18 Nov 1925

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                   

 

ex Spinks 1994, Dr Chan CC. (possible colour error)

These notes were acquired in the 1990's and it cost me a 'bomb' those days, but compared to current its "peanuts".



In the first quarter of 1926, this article was published in the local newspaper:            



The Straits Times 15 April 1926

The Straits Times 1994 cut-up

This $5 very piece is the advertisement picture template of the local newspaper showcasing the then up and coming 16th Singapore Coin Auction of 1994.

Following are the complete $1 denomination with the signature and date varieties:

           

The "Problematic" Malayan Banknotes of 1940 & 1941?

Article from The Straits Times 24 March 1940.

It took about a year later to issue the Malayan $10 banknote and I believe that it was the plum coloured 1940 $10 Malayan banknote. I stand corrected.      

                                                                                                                                            

Article from The Straits Times 29 March 1941.

This letter was sent to and published in The Straits Times of 29 March 1941, it is self-explanatory.

I wonder if during that time the Malayan public knew that a large consignment of the $1 & $5 Malayan banknotes dated 1st January 1940 were lost when the carrying ships "SS Automedon and SS Eumanes" were either sunk or captured by the German raiders in late 1940. (This paragraph of certain ships SS Eumanes & Automedon carrying the 1940 banknotes cannot be proven and regretfully the numismatic folks have been misled either intentionally or unintentionally....I will blog about it upon my returning to this blog end 2016)

By Mid December of 1941, after the Imperial Japanese Army had captured Penang, more of the 1940 series banknotes fell into enemy hands.The following article was published in the local newspaper, still with the intention of wanting to put the 1940 series $1 & $5 banknotes into circulation.  

Article from The Straits Times 23 December 1941

When British forces re-occupied Singapore in September 1945, some of the 1940 series $1 & $5 banknotes were found except for one bundle of one thousand pieces. In order to prevent these and those captured by the German raiders being passed into circulation when the notes become current, all stocks of 1940 $1 & $5 banknotes were destroyed and declared Non Legal Tender.
(Some information extracted from Paper Currency of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei - William Shaw and Mohd Kassim)


Gradually, the 1940 $10 was also taken out of circulation and a new series of Malaya banknotes dated 1st July 1941 were introduced. These were airfreighted into Singapore as mentioned below in The Straits Times dated 6 November 1948.

Food For Thought:


Extracted from The Straits Times 23 February 1953