Catalog
1 Dollar
| Issuer | Government of the Straits Settlements |
|---|---|
| Year | 1906-1924 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Thomas De La Rue & Company |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS / Promises to pay the bearer on demand / ONE DOLLAR / at Singapore Local Currency for Value received / CURRENCY COMMISSIONERS |
| Reverse description | The reverse is dominated by a large central guilloche medallion enclosing a tiger vignette, surrounded by elaborate lathe-work borders in a dark green intaglio print. The numeral '1' appears in ornate cartouches at the left and right of the central design. The overall composition is symmetric, with fine engine-turned scrollwork filling the remaining field. |
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| Comments |
The Straits Settlements currency board system was unusual — it issued notes backed by sterling held in London, making these effectively exchange certificates rather than fiduciary instruments in any local sense. The Government of the Straits Settlements took over direct note issue from the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China arrangement, and this P#1 series inaugurated that formal government monopoly on circulation in Penang, Malacca, and Singapore.
De La Rue printed the series across nearly two decades with no major design revision, which creates meaningful date-range variation in plate quality for specialists. Earlier impressions show sharper intaglio definition than later pulls from the same worn plates.