Brief History
Rubber was introduced by British
colonists to Singapore in 1877 via Brazil, Kew Gardens in London and Sri Lanka.
Within a decade after it was introduced, planters in remote parts of Southeast
Asia planted rubber trees in their cultivated plots. Malaysia had an ideal
climate, soil for rubber and plenty of land. Production increased dramatically
after the 1890s when there was a huge surge in demand for rubber. For many
years rubber along with tin were Malaysia’s primary exports.
By the 1930s, Malaysia produced half of the
world’s rubber. Many of the Chinese and Indians that live in Malaysia today are
descendants of laborers brought to work on the rubber plantations. For the most
part the plantations were owned by European owners. They helped transform
Malaysia into Britain’s richest colony. After independence, many of the
plantations were turned over to Malaysian hands and some were converted to palm
oil plantations.
Description
Observe
:
Logo
celebration of 100 Years of Natural Rubber in Malaysia ; a pair of hand tapping
rubber trees ; rubber molecule ; and a globe background.
Reserve
:
Lettering “$1 | 1877-1977” surrounded
by “SERATUS TAHUN GETAH ASLI | MALAYSIA”
Edge :
Inscribed “BANK NEGARA MALAYSIA”
Year Minted
|
1977
|
Face Value
|
$1
|
Metal
|
Copper-Nickel
|
Weight
|
16.8g
|
Diameter
|
33.5mm
|
Thickness
|
3mm
|
Mintage
|
500,000
|
