Malaya Old Currency : 1953-1967 Malaya & British Borneo Dollar ( Queen Elizabeth II )

Brief History

The Malaya and British Borneo dollar was the currency of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo, Brunei and Riau archipelago from 1953 to 1967.

The currency was issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo. Prior to 1952, the board was known as the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya.

The Malaya and British Borneo dollar was used in Malaya after independence in 1957, and in Malaysia after its formation in 1963, as well as in Singapore after its independence in 1965. After 1967, the two countries and Brunei ended the common currency arrangement and began issuing their own currencies. However, the Malaya and British Borneo dollar continued to be legal tender until 16 January 1969.

The currency was also being used in the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia prior to 1963.

Coinage History

Coins were issued in bronze 1¢ square shaped coins issued between 1953 and 1961, and circular coins of similar composition in 1962.  5¢, 10¢, 20¢, and 50¢ were minted in cupro-nickel.

 All coins shared a similar basic design depicting Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and denomination on the reverse. However, the Queen was replaced with two daggers on the smaller round cent of 1962. These coins carried the same design features and sizes from the coins of the previous Commissioner's Currency and Straits series, making them relatively unchanged in appearance except for the depictions of the British monarchs. The older coins also continued to circulate alongside these bearing the new title.

Queen Elizabeth II

“Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith”

“Elizabeth II, Dei Gratia Britanniarum Regnorumque Suorum Ceterorum Regina, Consortionis Populorum Princeps, Fidei Defensor”

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.

1¢	5¢	10¢	20¢	50¢
1956-1961	1953-1961	1953-1961	1954-1961	1954-1961
bronze	cupro-nickel	cupro-nickel	cupro-nickel	cupro-nickel
4.21g	1.41g	2.82g	5.65g	9.34g
20.0mm	16.2mm	19.5mm	23.5mm	27.76mm
1962
bronze
1.94g
17.7mm

	1¢	5¢	10¢	20¢	50¢
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957	√		√	√
1958
1959
1960
1961	√	√	√	√
1962	√

Malaya Old Currency : 1939-1953 Malayan Dollar ( King George VI )

Brief History

The Malayan dollar was the currency of the British colonies and protectorates in Malaya and Brunei from 1939 until 1953.

The Malayan dollar was issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya.  

The Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya, came into being in October 1938 following the Blackett Report which recommended that the sole power of issuing currency for the various Malay States, including Brunei, and the Straits Settlements should be entrusted to a pan-Malayan Currency Commission.

In 1952 the board was renamed the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo.

Coinage History

Coins were issued between 1939 and 1950 in denominations of square shaped ​½¢ and 1¢in bronze, and round 5¢, 10¢ and 20¢ (silver until 1945, and cupro-nickel from 1948).

These all had the same designs and appearance of previous Straits Settlements coinage, which they replaced. The 1¢ coins were reduced in size in 1943 due to cost and wartime materials shortages while the ​½¢ were discontinued after 1940, even though they continued to be legal tender. All coins of this series depict King George VI. Older Straits coinage also continued to circulate alongside though silver pieces of both types quickly began to disappear.

Coins

King George V

“George VI, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith”

“George VI, Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae, Hiberniae et terrarum transmarinarum quae in ditione sunt Britannica Rex, Fidei Defensor”

George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was the last Emperor of India and the first Head of the Commonwealth.

½¢	1¢	5¢	10¢	20¢
1940	1939-1941	1939-1941	1939-1941	1949
Bronze	Bronze	Silver 0.75	Silver 0.75	Silver 0.75
2.91g	5.83g	1.36g	2.71g	5.43g
18.5mm	21.5mm	16.0mm	18.0mm	23.2mm
		1943-1945	1943-1945	1943-1945
		Silver 0.50	Silver 0.50	Silver 0.50
		1.41g	2.71g	5.43g
		16.2mm	18.0mm	23.2mm
		1948-1950	1948-1950	1948-1950
		Cu-Ni	Cu-Ni	Cu-Ni
		1.41g	2.82g	5.65g
		16.2mm	19.5mm	23.5mm

	½¢	1¢	5¢	10¢	20¢
1939
1940		√
1941		√
1942
1943		√
1944
1945		√
1946
1947
1948			√	√
1949
1950				√