Lee Hsien Loong and the Singapore Currency 李显龙与新加坡货币

PM Lee Hsien Loong served as Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) from 1998 to 2004 and Finance Minister from 2001 to 2007. 

Although PM Lee served as MAS Chairman from 1998, MAS was not the issuing authority of Singapore currency until the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore (BCCS) was merged into MAS on 1st October 2002. PM Lee relinquished his appointment as Chairman of MAS in August 2004. His signatory as MAS Chairman, the issuing authority of Singapore currency, lasted for only 22 months. 

PM Lee is the only Prime Minister who concurrently was also the Chairman of BCCS and the Chairman of MAS. To be more accurate, he was the LAST Chairman of BCCS and the FIRST Chairman of MAS after BCCS was merged into MAS.

The merger of BCCS into MAS was also the 35th Anniversary of MAS, and that gave MAS the "fire power" to release a few commemorative issues. Well, maybe MORE than a few! 

As far as I know, the following uncut sheets and commemorative notes bear the signature of PM Lee, first released to the public in 2002 to 2005:

1. Year 2002, President Yusof Ishak $50 (Overprint: BCCS 1967 to MAS 2002) uncut sheet of 32 (200 sheets)

2. Year 2004, President Yusof Ishak $10 Polymer, MAS prefix s/n, commemorative sheet in Consecutive Number, uncut sheet of 35.

3. Year 2004, President Yusof Ishak $10 Polymer, MAS prefix s/n, commemorative sheet in Solid Number, uncut sheet of 35.

4. Year 2004, President Yusof Ishak $10 Polymer, MAS prefix s/n, commemorative single note with folder.

5. Year 2004, President Yusof Ishak $10 Polymer, MAS prefix s/n commemorative single note without folder.

6. Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $2 uncut sheet of 60 (100 sheets)

7. Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $5 uncut sheet of 40 (100 sheets)

8. Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $10 uncut sheet of 45 (100 sheets)

9. Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $50 uncut sheet of 45 (100 sheets)

(The above information is compiled from Mavin International auction catalogues. Being the official auctioneer of MAS, it has always been a great source of information. http://mavininternational.com )

Although it was a short 22 months, did PM Lee has less fanfare than any of his predecessors? 

The above list is not exhaustive. Accordingly, 10,000 pieces of MAS prefix banknotes were printed. If you know some other issues that I have missed out, please tell us on our Facebook page.

Year 2002, President Yusof Ishak $50 (Overprint: BCCS 1967 to MAS 2002) uncut sheet of 32 (200 sheets)
2002年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统50元纸钞 （加印BCCS 1967 to MAS 2002）32张连体（总发行200张）

Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $2 uncut sheet of 60 (100 sheets)
 2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统 2元纸钞，60张连体（总发行100张）

Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $5 uncut sheet of 40 (100 sheets)
2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统 5元纸钞，40张连体（总发行100张）

Year 2005, President Yusof Ishak $10 uncut sheet of 45 (100 sheets)
2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统10元纸钞，45张连体（总发行100张）

李显龙总理曾 在1998至2004年担任新加坡金融管理局（MAS金管局）主席和在2001至2007年任财政部长。

虽然李总理从1998年担任金管局（MAS）主席，但金管局（MAS）并不是新加坡货币的发行机构，直到新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）在2002年10月1日并入金管局后。李总理在2004年8月卸下金管局主席的职务。他作为新加坡纸币的签署部长仅仅22个月。

李总理也是唯一同时兼任新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）主席和金管局（MAS）主席的总理。更准确的说，他是新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）最后一位主席和货币专员委员会（BCCS）并入金管局（MAS）后有货币发行权的金管局（MAS）的第一任主席。

货币专员委员会（BCCS）并入金管局（MAS）的那一年，也是金管局成立35周年。无巧不成书，这给了金管局足够的“火力”来庆祝一番，发行了一些纪念纸币和未切割连体钞。也许不止一些！

据我所知，由李总理签名发行的未切割连体钞和纪念纸币，从2002年至2005年发售，让公众购买的有以下几种：

1. 2002年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统50元纸钞 （加印BCCS 1967 to MAS 2002）32张连体（总发行200张）。

2. 2004年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统10元塑质钞，MAS序号，连续编号，35张连体（总发行不详）。

3. 2004年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统10元塑质钞，MAS序号，Solid编号，35张连体（总发行不详）。

4. 2004年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统10元塑质钞，MAS序号，单张，配有封套（总发行不详）。

5. 2004年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统10元塑质钞，MAS序号，单张，无封套（总发行不详）。

6. 2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统 2元纸钞，60张连体（总发行100张）。

7. 2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统 5元纸钞，40张连体（总发行100张）。

8. 2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统10元纸钞，45张连体（总发行100张）。

9. 2005年，尤索夫·伊沙克总统50元纸钞，45张连体（总发行100张）。

(以上资料从Mavin International拍卖目录编制。作为金管局的官方拍卖商，Mavin International是极好的信息来源。http://mavininternational.com/)

虽然只有短短的22个月，单看发行的未切割连体钞和纪念纸币，李总理在我国货币史中的光芒却不会比之前的任何一位签署部长来的逊色。李总理就是不一样！

以上所列并不详尽。听说，MAS序号单张就印制了一万张！如果你知道我错过了哪一些李显龙总理发行的未切割连体钞和纪念纸币，请在我们的Facebook页面告诉我们。