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	√

New Zealand Coins : Decimal System

Introduction of Decimal Currency

In 1959, a committee was set up to study and report on decimal coinage. This committee was in favour of such an adoption, and after further study, it was announced in 1963 that New Zealand would change to a decimal coinage system.

In 1964, the Decimal Currency Act, 1964 prescribed the designs, diameters, and standard weights of the decimal coins, which first appeared in circulation on 10th July 1967. These coins were all designed by Reginald George James Berry (known as James) of Wellington. His initials (JB) appear on the reverse of all of our then bronze and cupro-nickel coins.

The word Shilling was included on the 10 cent coin to assist with the transition to decimal currency, it featured on minting of the 10c coin for the years 1967, 1968 and 1969 and was dropped in 1970. The 1968 10 cent coin minting were for collectors sets only.

The coins introduced :           

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New Denomination     Old Denomination      Coin Specification

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50 cents                     5 shillings            Alloy: Cupro-nickel

                                 (one Crown)         Diameter: 31.75mm

                                                            Weight: 13.61gm

Design: The barque Endeavour, commanded by Captain Cook, sailing south, with Mt. Taranaki (Egmont) in the distance under the figure "50"

20 cents                     2 shillings            Alloy: Cupro-nickel

   (one Florin)          Diameter: 28.58mm

                              Weight: 11.31gm

Design: Kiwi facing right and fern bush with figure "20"

10 cents                      1 shilling            Alloy: Cupro-nickel

    (one Bob)            Diameter: 23.62mm

                                                            Weight: 5.66gm

Design: A Maori carved head or koruru under the figure "10" with Maori rafter patterns

5 cents                         6 pence             Alloy: Cupro-nickel

                                                            Diameter: 19.43mm

                                                            Weight: 2.83gm

Design: A tuatara curled on a coastal rock on which is superimposed the figure "5". A gull flies in the background

2 cents                         3 pence             Metal: Bronze

                                                            Diameter: 21.08mm

                                                            Weight: 4.14gm

Design: Two kowhai flowers and leaves surrounding the figure "2"

1 cent                          1 penny             Metal: Bronze

                                                            Diameter: 17.53mm

Weight: 2.07gm

Design: A stylised fern leaf enclosing the figure "1"

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On the 31st March 1989, the issue of 1 and 2 cent pieces ceased. Both coins were demonetised on the 30th April 1990.

In December 1990, a new 20 cent piece was introduced to replace the old 20 cent piece, as the Kiwi design on the old 20 cent piece was transferred to the new $1 coin. Both designs of the 20 cent coin are legal tender along with the earlier two shilling piece or florin.

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20 cents                  Alloy: Cupro-nickel

                              Diameter: 28.58mm

                              Weight: 11.31gm

Design: A representation of a well-known Maori "pukaki" carving.

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On the 11th February 1991, new $1 and $2 coins were introduced to replace the $1 and $2 notes. These two coins and above 20 cent coin were all designed by Robert Maurice Conly, M.B.E. of Wellington.

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$1                           Alloy: Aluminium-bronze

                               Diameter: 23.0mm

                               Weight: 8.0gm

                               Design: The kiwi, bringing to reality the colloquial 

                               term ‘Kiwi Dollar'.

$2                           Alloy: Aluminium-bronze

                               Diameter: 26.5mm

                               Weight: 10.0gm

 Design: The kotuku (white heron), flying right. The kotuku is one of  New Zealand's rarest birds and is held in particularly high regard in  Maori mythology.

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On the 31st July 2006, the Reserve Bank introduced new smaller and lighter 10, 20 and 50 cent coins made of plated steel.  The Bank started withdrawing the corresponding old silver-coloured cupronickel coins at the same time.  The 5 cent coin was withdrawn and not replaced.  The old coin were demonetised, ie declared no longer legal tender, with effect from 1 November 2006.

New Zealand Coins : Fractional System

The early years

In early 1840, Captain William Hobson, RN, the first Governor of New Zealand, extended British laws to New Zealand. This meant that certain sections of the Imperial Coinage Act, 1816 (UK) became relevant to the new colony. This allowed for the standard gold, silver and bronze British coins to circulate freely in New Zealand alongside the existing variety of foreign coins. British coins were made legal tender in terms of the above act by the passing of the English Laws Act in 1858.

In the 1840s and 1850s there was an extreme shortage of coins, especially copper coins. Traders tried the issue of low value paper notes to remedy this situation but this was soon abandoned. Instead, as this shortage intensified throughout the 1850s, businesses in Auckland and Dunedin decided to issue their first copper tokens in 1857. In all, 48 traders (mostly retailers) issued their own penny and half-penny tokens. This practice survived until 1881 with their use gradually declining in the 1880s.

In 1897, New Zealand's currency became subject to certain provisions stated in the Imperial Coinage Act, 1870 (UK). This meant that only British coin became the official legal tender coin of the colony. At that time, it was already one of the two ‘common' currencies, along with Australian minted gold sovereign and half sovereign coins.

In 1914, the gradual withdrawal of gold coin from circulation took place.

Silver coin was debased from .925 fine (Sterling Silver) to .500 fine in 1920.

New Zealand’s own currency

By 1933, it was obvious that something had to be done about the coin smuggling and the shortage of lower denomination coins in New Zealand. It was decided that New Zealand should start issuing currency from a single bank. The New Zealand Numismatic Society suggested that New Zealand adopt a decimal system of coinage.

However a distinctive New Zealand coinage was introduced in 1933 based on a fractional system (the same as sterling). These new coins used the same weights, sizes and denominations as the British coins.

Bronze coins (penny and halfpenny) of British standard were not approved until 22nd December 1939. These were issued in 1940, at the time of the Centennial of New Zealand.

The Coinage Act, 1933 governed the currency, coinage and legal tender in New Zealand, and meant that British coin ceased to be legal tender as at 1st February 1935. New Zealand then became the last and most remote of the self-governing dominions of the British Commonwealth to introduce its own coinage.

The original designs

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Half-Crown   Ensigns armorial of the Dominion on their shield (quarterings depicting the Southern Cross, a wheat sheaf, a lamb suspended by a ribbon and mining hammers crossed divided by three ships) surmounted by the Royal Crown and surrounded by ornamentation inspired by Maori carvings

Florin            A kiwi (bird) facing left

Shilling          A figure of a Maori warrior in warlike attitude carrying a 

                    taiaha

Sixpence        A huia (bird) perched on a branch

Threepence   Two carved patu (Maori weapons) crossed with lanyards or throngs attached,  with "3d" between their blades

Penny           A tui (bird) perched in a setting of yellow kowhai blossoms

Halfpenny     A Maori Hei-tiki (Maori charm) with Maori ornamental scrolls 

                   on each side

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In 1947 the issue of Cupro-Nickel coins replaced .500 fine silver coins. This proclamation was made under Section eight of the Coinage Act, 1933 and signed on 25th August 1947. Both metal types of coins were still considered to be legal tender. This change was due to the rising costs of mining and the price of silver.