20 cents 1985-1991 ribbon upwards
Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia that became independent from the British in 1965. The first records of Singapore date back to the second and third centuries where a vague reference to its location was found in Greek and Chinese texts, under the names of Savana and Pu Luo Chung respectively.
In 1867, Singapore was formally split off from British India and became a directly ruled Crown Colony.
Granted self-rule in 1955, Singapore briefly joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 when the British left, but was expelled because the Chinese-majority city was seen as a threat to Malay dominance. The island became independent on 9 August 1965, thus becoming the only country to gain independence against its own will in the history of the modern world!
The Spanish-American silver dollar brought over by the Manila galleons was in wide circulation in Asia and the Americas from the 16th to 19th centuries. From 1845 to 1939 the Straits Settlements of which Singapore used to be part, issued its local equivalent, the Straits dollar. This was replaced by the Malayan dollar, and, from 1953, the Malaya and British Borneo dollar, which were issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo.
Singapore continued to use the common currency upon joining Malaysia in 1963 and after Singapore's independence from Malaysia in 1965, but the formal monetary union between Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei stopped in 1967, and Singapore established the Board of Commissioners of Currency Singapore, on 7 April 1967 and issued its first coins and notes.
In 1967, the first series of coins was introduced depicted wildlife designes and other images relating to the island nation, designed by Stuart Devlin, the same artist credited for the 1966 designs on Australia's decimal coin series.
The size of the coins are same as those used for the Malaysian ringgit and based directly on the old coinage of the former Malaya and British Borneo dollar. The 1-cent coin was bronze while the other denominations were copper-nickel.
Later, in 1976, the 1-cent coin was changed to copper-clad steel. The production of the first series was demonetized by 1985.
Lee Kuan Yew (1923 – 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, was a Singaporean barrister and statesman who served as the first prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and the secretary-general of the People's Action Party between 1954 and 1992. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjong Pagar from 1955 until his death in 2015. Lee has been widely recognized as the founding father of Singapore for his leadership in turning a poor country into a developed country, and from an island of mudflats and swamps into a thriving metropolis.
OBVERSE: Heraldic Coat of Arms, a shield bearing crescent, a new moon—representing a "young nation on the ascendant", five stars—representing democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality, supported by a lion and a tiger—representing Singapore's namesake and the country's historical ties to the Malay Peninsula; below them is a ribbon with a motto "Majulah Singapura Malay" - "Onward Singapore", date underneath and country name on four sides in English, Tamil, Chinese, and Malay.
Lettering: SINGAPURA சிங்கப்பூர் 新加坡 1987 SINGAPORE
Designer : Christopher Ironside awarded OBE, FRBS (1913–1992), was British painter and coin designer.
REVERSE: Powder-puff plant fronds (Binomial Name: Calliandra surinamensis) and denomination
Lettering: TWENTY CENTS 20
Engraver: Christopher Ironside
EDGE: Reeded
Mint: Singapore Mint, Singapore
Mintage in 1987 80 010 000
Country Singapore (Republic since 1967)
President Wee Kim Wee (1985 - 1993)
Type Standard circulation coin
Years 1985-1991
Value 20 Cents
Currency Dollar (since 1967)
Composition Copper-nickel
Weight 4.50 g
Diameter 21.36 mm
Thickness 1.72 mm
Orientation Medal alignment ↑↑
References KM# 52, Schön# 42