Featured Note of the Month

ND (2006) Singapore 2 Dollar (46a), front PMG graded Suberb Gem Uncirculated 68 EPQ Click image to enlarge.

ND (2006) Singapore 2 Dollar (46a), back PMG graded Suberb Gem Uncirculated 68 EPQ Click image to enlarge.

Country: Singapore
Catalog Number: 46a
Date: ND (2006)
Denomination: $2
Varieties: Earlier paper versions of the same design have been printed by both the Board of Commissioners of Currency and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (Pick numbers 45 and 45a, respectively). There are also ten other listed varieties of this polymer note (46b-k), each with a different symbol on the back to indicate the year it was printed. This note, with no symbol, was issued in 2006.

What makes it special? These notes were some of the first printed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore after it took over currency production from the Board of Commissioners of Currency in 2004, and they were also some of the first polymer notes ever produced in Singapore. They are considered part of the “Portrait Series” of Singapore notes, as the obverse features a portrait of Yusof bin Ishak, the first president of Singapore; the back of each note in this series is decorated with images and themes related to the president's life.

Why is it interesting now? Summer is almost over, which means that it's every child's favorite time of year—time to go back to school! The back of this note features a class of students paying attention as their teacher addresses them (which is definitely how we all remember our school days). In the background, there are three school buildings, and the word “Education” is printed below.

Did you know? The three school buildings printed on the back of this note are the Victoria Bridge School, the Raffles Institution, and the College of Medicine. President Yusof bin Ishak attended both Victoria Bridge School and the Raffles Institution in his childhood. The College of Medicine, established in 1905, was the first medical training facility in Singapore and is a national monument today.

Total graded by PMG: 479 notes

PMG median grade: The median grade for these notes is 66.

PMG highest graded: 68

Sales highlights: These notes are easily available and ready to be a part of your collection—ungraded, they sell for about $3 each.

PMG Registry: The best registry for this particular banknote is probably the Singapore Portrait Series Set, which includes Pick numbers 38 through 54, or the Singapore Complete Note Set, which includes all Pick numbers from 1a to present.