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。

Singapore Banknotes Portrait $50 LHL 32-in-1 Uncut Sheet 新加坡肖像系列五十元李显龙32张连体钞

Extremely rare & beautiful uncut sheet!

This $50 Portrait series 32-in-1 uncut sheet is produced to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and the impending transition of the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore (BCCS) into MAS.




Historical importance of this uncut sheet:
1. This is the FIRST banknote that bears the signature of Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

2. This is the FIRST banknote that bears the signature of a Singapore Prime Minister who is in office (typically it is the Minister for Finance’s).

3. He is the FIRST Prime Minister who concurrently acted as the Chairman of the BCCS.

4. He is also the LAST Chairman of the BCCS before it was merged into MAS.

5. This is the LAST “Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore” banknote. All new banknotes are printed “Monetary Authority of Singapore”.

Overprinted in each note:
“BCCS logo -> MAS logo”, and “1967 to 2002”





This special uncut sheet marked the ending of an era; the ending of the BCCS as the note issuing authority of Singapore.

Released in 2002.
Signed by Prime Minister & Chairman of BCCS, Lee Hsien Loong
Very limited mintage of 200 sheets only
Uncirculated mint condition.

Special banknote serial no. 1HL 98XX73. (HL= Hsien Loong)
All notes end with 73. Original packaging does not come with certificate or box.

These notes are legal tender and the portrait series is still in circulation. (US$1~ S$1.26)

This is an extremely rare collector’s item with significant historical importance.

Overprinted additional seals & text: BCCS & MAS logo, “1967 to 2002”.








这张50元的肖像系列32张连体钞的发行是纪念新加坡金融管理局（MAS）35周年，和新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）即将过渡到金融管理局的历史篇章。

本未切割货币的重要历史意义：

1。这是新加坡钞票首次负有新加坡总理李显龙的签名。
2。这也是新加坡总理首次签名的钞票（通常是财政部长的签名）。
3。他也是第一位兼任新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）主席的总理。
4。他亦是最后一位新加坡货币专员委员会的主席。
5。这亦是新加坡货币专员委员会最后发行的钞票。所有新钞票都由新加坡金融管理局发行并印有“Monetary Authority of Singapore”的字样。

每张钞票负有加印的新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）和新加坡金融管理局（MAS）的标志以及“1967年至2002年”的标语。

这是一张特殊的未切割货币，标志着一个时代的结束;及新加坡货币专员委员会BCCS作为新加坡货币发行机构的完结篇。

发行于2002年。

由李显龙总理兼新加坡货币专员委员会BCCS主席签名。
只有200张，严格限量发行。
未流通及完好无损。

特别钞票序号。 1HL98XX73。(HL及“显龙”的缩写)
所有纸币与73结尾。

原包装不附带证书或盒子。

这款纸币都是法定货币，肖像系列仍然在市面流通。 （1美元〜S$1.26新元）

这张50元的肖像系列32张未切割纸币极为罕见，具有重大历史意义。
李显龙的签名，额外加印的新加坡货币专员委员会（BCCS）和新加坡金融管理局（MAS）的标志以及“1967年至2002年” 的标语，可说是前无古人， 后无来者，绝对是收藏吉品。

极为罕见和美丽的未切割纸币！