50 Sen - Hassanal Bolkiah 2nd portrait

Brunei's shift to sterling silver for this denomination in the early 1990s coincided with the sultanate's broader effort to produce collector-grade coinage distinct from its circulating cupro-nickel issues. The "2nd portrait" designation marks a refined effigy of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who ascended in 1967 following his father's abdication and remains one of the longest-reigning monarchs alive. The KM#38a designation separates this silver strike from its base-metal counterpart, a distinction that matters considerably for type collectors working through the Brunei series.