· Process

. Forum

· Asian Money Fair

· Portrait

. Ship

. Bird

. Orchid

. Banana

. Strait Settlement

· Coins

· Counterfeit

· Laws

· Acknowledgements

This series also has nine denominations as in the first except that a $20 note was introduced to replace the $25 note of the Orchid series. The dominant feature is a bird on the left side of the front of each note. The birds depicted on the notes are noted for their strength, adaptability and independence which characterize the young Republic of Singapore with the potential of soaring to greater heights in its progress.

On the front, all notes have the Singapore Arms, a watermark of a lion's head and the signature and seal of Minister for Finance and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore. With the exception of the $1,000 and $10,000 notes which have two security threads, each note has a security thread embedded vertically across it.

$1 denomination

The front design is a Black-naped Tern and the back design is of the National Day Parade.  The note is first issued on 6 August 1976. 

One of the three species of terns that breed during late May-September on Pelong Rocks, the Black-naped tern is the smallest tern found on Pelong Rocks. The length combined from the body and tail is 31cm. It has a wholly - white plumage with a black crescent on the nape. Its long, deeply forked tail is visible during flight and its thin bill and feet are black. Usually, the Black-naped tern lays two eggs on bare exposed rock.  The bird breeds during late May-September.  Singapore’s national day is in August, which is inside the period mentioned.  The fact that the Black-naped tern is the smallest tern in Pelong Rocks signifies the size of Singapore as a nation compared to our neighbours and the rest of the world.

Singapore entered the 1970s as a politically stable state with a high rate of economic growth.  Thus, with the National Day Parade as the back design, the government most probably wanted to cultivate a sense of belonging to the country and also remind people of the struggle for survival and prosperity eleven years ago, in 1965.

$5 denomination

            The front design is a Red-whiskered Bulbul while the back design is of the Cable cars and aerial view of the harbour.  The note is first issued in 6 August 1976.

            The Red-whiskered Bulbul has a distinct red ear patch, and red tail coverts. Both features are very distinctive from other birds. This bulbul averages seven inches in length and can weigh from 23 to 42 grams. The birds are brownish above and white below their stomach region from birth until an age six months. The head is black with a pointed crest and there is a red patch, the "whiskers", behind the eye. The beak is slender and notched. Their nostrils are oval–shaped, and have bristles. The legs and toes have little strength and are usually short. The wings are short and rounded and the tail shape varies from rounded to squared. Immature bulbuls resemble adults except that they lack the red marking on the head.  The voices of the Red-whiskered Bulbul are loud and clear consisting of short loud notes and some warbling songs.

            This particular bulbul has adapted well to trees and shrubs in large suburban areas or yards. These birds usually stay under cover of vegetation, but occasionally perch in the open. This bird is native to India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, and the South China coast. It has been introduced to the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Nicobar Islands, Mauritius, Australia, North America, and the Hawaiian Islands. Red-whiskered Bulbul was first sighted on Oahu in 1965 and is now very common on Oahu.

            From the description of the Red-whiskered Bulbul, we can find many similarities of it with Singapore.  The bulbul on the $5 note do not have a red marking on its head, thus is an immature bulbul.  Singapore in 1976 is only 11 years old, a very young, immature nation.  The description of the bulbul emphasizes its small size, again can be drawn parallel to Singapore’s size compared to other nations.  The fact that Red-whiskered Bulbul are loud and clear coincides with the point that Singapore is a “roaring mouse”, who manages to get our message across.  The bird was first sighted in Oahu in 1965, which is also the year when Singapore became a sovereign state.

            The back design is on the cable cars.  This is because 1976 was when the cable car network flourished.  Work on the cableway started in 1972 and was completed two years later. On 15 Febuary 1974, the Singapore Cable Car System was offically opened by the former Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Goh Keng Swee.  Built at a cost of S$5.8 million, the cable car system first started out with 43 cabins. These first generation cabins were not automated and had doors that needed to be manually opened and closed by cable car attendants.  The office, located on the second storey of Cable Car Towers, consisted of merely 45 administrative staff and cable car attendants.  1976 saw the number of cable cars grow from 43 to 51.

$10 denomination

            The front design is a white-collared Kingfisher and the back is about the garden city with high rise public housing in background.  The note is first issued on 6 August 1976.

            By far the most important and significant of the birds recorded, and arguably the jewel in the mangrove’s crown, is the white-collared kingfisher (Halcyon chloris). Represented at Khor Liwa by the subspecies kalbaensis (after its type and only other locality) Khor Kalba, the white-collared kingfisher is one of the world’s rarest birds. The discovery of this species breeding at Khor Liwa suggests that some young, at least, have dispersed to establish new breeding grounds.

            Most important and significant, words which can also be used to describe Singapore ambition.  The jewel in the mangrove’s crown would mean metaphorically, Singapore is the jewel of South-east Asia.  The fact that the young of white-collared Kingfisher dispersed to establish new breeding grounds show their survival skills, which Singapore showed during the nation building period of 1965 onwards and which Singapore want to instil in its citizens.

            The public housing in the back design shows the start of public housing programme from the government.  In 1979, after the shock of two oil crises, the Government started a programme of economic restructuring. This was achieved by modifying education policies, expanding technology and computer education, offering financial incentives to industrial enterprises and launching a productivity campaign. Public housing was given top priority. New towns sprang up and Housing and Development Board apartments were sold at a low cost. To encourage home ownership, Singaporeans were allowed to use their Central Provident Fund savings to pay for these apartments.

$20 denomination

            The front design shows a Yellow-breasted Sunbird while the back design is of Changi International Airport Complex with the Concorde in the foreground.

            The Yellow-breasted Sunbird is the smallest Sunbird (11cm), bill thin and obviously decurved; distinctive white tips at outer tail feathers.  The females have upperparts which are dull olive brown, all yellow, brighter yellow than other female Sunbirds.  They have a darting flight.  It is a very common resident throughout Singapore, including North and South offshore islands.

            Sunbirds form monogamous pairs. The Yellow-breasted Sunbirds breed in April-August. They build a hanging flask-shaped nest with an overhanging porch at the entrance, and a trail of hanging material at the bottom end. Materials used include plant fibres, mosses, spider's web.  Highly adaptable, they are the most common Sunbird in Singapore and are found almost everywhere except the deepest forest.

            The description of the Yellow-breasted Sunbird contains many common facts about Singapore.  The smallest sunbird, again emphasizing on the small size of Singapore.  A darting flight, and highly adaptable, Singapore, being small, is also highly adaptable to changes.  This can be noted from the restructuring of labour-intensive industries during the 1960s to late 1970s to hi-tech industries.

            Changi Airport was opened in 1981, meaning construction had to take place a few years earlier, thus the back design.  Furthermore, Singapore used to have Concordes flying in and out in the past.

$50 denomination

            The front design has a White-rumped Sharma and the back design is about a school band on parade.

            White-rumped Sharma are birds which are native to South-east Asia, and can be seen in Malaysia and Singapore.  The bird thus represents Singapore in a way.

            The school band on parade again emphasizes on the National Day Parade, which is mentioned in the $1 denomination notes.

$100 denomination

            The front design shows a Blue-throated Bee-eater while the back shows dancers of various ethnic groups.  It is first issued in 1 February 1977.

            Bee-eaters get their names from their diet of stinging insects (bees, wasps, hornets, ants). They specialise in catching and neutralising these titbits that other birds find unappetising or dangerous.  Bee-eaters nest in small colonies, usually of 5-20 pairs, but can reach as many as 1,000. They tunnel out a nest and prefer light sandy soil that allows good drainage; including beach dunes, sand quarries, even lawns, golf courses and air fields!  The Blue-throated Bee-eater breeds in Singapore and the Malay peninsula in April-September, then strangely migrates to Indonesia thereafter. At the time when they leave, the Blue-tailed Bee-eater arrives. They are probably the only bird to breed here and migrate away during the non-breeding season. They migrate in small groups of not more than 15. In Singapore, they are found in scrub, mangrove, forest, cultivated areas.

            Bee-eaters diet of stinging insects which are unappetising or dangerous is somewhat similar to Singapore’s daring to take risks such as in 1965, opting on independence when the future seem so uncertain.  However, Singapore has adapted well, paralleling the bee-eater specialization in catching these insects.  Versatile can be used to describe both the bee-eater and Singapore as the bee-eater can tunnel a nest out even in air fields.  Singapore’s versatility would be being highly adaptable to changes in the world.

            The dancers of various ethnic groups reminds Singaporeans the importance of racial harmony.  The racial riots of the 1960s have not been completely forgotten and forgiven by the nation and thus the government in producing these notes wanted the people of the country to reconcile.  The people at that time must learn to live in harmony with the other races for Singapore to be survive economically.

$500 denomination

            The $500 note shows a Black-naped Oriole on its front and an oil refinery on its back.  It is first issued in 1 February 1977.

            Black-naped Orioles enjoy a wide menu of plants and animals. They are fond of fruit and berries, particularly figs. Besides large insects, they also take small animals, including nestlings. For this reason, during the breeding season of other birds, Black-naped Orioles are often chased away by other birds.  Black-naped Orioles rarely descend to the ground. They forage high in trees and usually say within the canopy. Nevertheless, they are not birds of the deep forest. Originally from coastal woodlands and mangroves, they have adapted to cultivated areas and parks and gardens.  Black-naped Orioles usually forage alone or in pairs. They are most active in the morning and evenings, making their melodious calls as they forage.

            Versatility again shown as one can call it.  Black-naped Orioles are not restricted in their diet, able to enjoy a wide menu of plants and animals.  The same goes for Singapore when it comes to industries.

            Oil refineries are important to Singapore economy since the early 1900s.  In the last 30 years (1970s), Singapore grows to be largest storage, blending, packing, distribution and bunkering centre in the East.  Thus the oil refinery on the back of the note.

$1000 denomination

            The front design contains a Brahminy Kite and the back is a container terminal.  The note was first issued on  7 August 1978.

            Brahminy Kites are very common in Singapore mostly because they are very tolerant of humans. Being unfussy scavengers also allow them to survive in a wide range of habitats, but they still require mangroves for nesting sites. 

It is believed that their name Brahminy results from their association with the Indian God Vishnu.  To the Iban of Malaysia it is the Bird-God of War. The Brahminy Kite's presence is an omen to guide them in major decisions such on warfare and house building.

Another bird of versatility, and there has been enough said of that.  The second part of the bird’s description is interesting, as Singapore also had major decisions to make in the past.

$10 000 denomination

            The front shows a White-bellied Sea-Eagle while the back shows two scenes of the Singapore River.

            The White-bellied Fish Eagle is the largest raptor in Singapore: with a wingspan of 50cm and body length of 70cm.  White-bellied Fish Eagles don't appear to be highly territorial towards others of their kind. But they make loud harsh cries near important spots like a perch or nest. These can be heard up to 1 km away, perhaps helping to space out the birds and avoid confrontations.  In choosing a nest site, White-bellied Fish Eagles go for height, choosing the tallest objects near coasts or other large bodies of water (e.g., reservoirs).

            From the bird’s description symbolizes many important aspects of the note and Singapore.  The largest raptor in Singapore is featured in this note, as this is the largest denomination of the bird series.  The bird try avoid confrontations, as Singapore often do with its neighbour Malaysia over many economic and social problems.  Going for height in choosing a nest site is like going for height in building homes, what the HDB has been doing in building high-rise flats for Singaporeans.