Denomination Print
• All notes, circulation and commemorative
It is common practice around the world to show the value of a banknote using both denomination numbers (numbers) and text (words). Numbers are easier and quicker for most people to recognise. But the text form is still included for three main reasons. First, it helps avoid mistakes—if the number is unclear or damaged, the words help confirm the value. Second, it gives legal clarity, since the written amount is less likely to be misread or misused. Third, it helps people with certain learning difficulties, like dyscalculia, who find it easier to read words than numbers.
Singapore’s banknotes have followed this format since the Orchid series, showing both the numeral (e.g. “$100”) and the text (e.g. “ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS”) clearly on each note. This stayed the same in the Bird and Ship series. A noticeable change happened in the Portrait series, where the dollar sign ($) was removed from the numeral. This followed the practice of countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, which no longer include currency symbols on their newer banknotes. Since the word “DOLLARS” still appears in text, the symbol was no longer needed.
The numeral appears prominently at least four times on most Singapore banknotes—twice on the front and twice on the back. The only exceptions are the Ship $2 and commemorative notes like the 1990 SG25, 2007 CIA40, 2015 SG50-50 and SG50-10, 2017 CIA50, and 2019 B200, where it appears just once on one of the two sides.
Apart from identification, the numeral is also used as part of various security features—when used for this purpose, the number will not be clearly visible. Under ultraviolet light, the denomination appears on all Bird series notes of $100 and above, all Ship series notes of $5 and above, all Portrait series notes, and the 1996 MAS25, 1999 Millennium $2, 2007 CIA40, 2017 CIA50 commemorative notes. When viewed from certain angles, the denomination numeral also appears in the silver or gold Kinegram on Portrait paper notes and the 1996 MAS25 note. The denomination numeral is also used as a design in the see-through windows of the Portrait polymer notes, and the 2007 CIA40, 2015 SG50-50, SG50-10 commemorative notes.
As for the text form, the value usually appears once on the front of each note. The exceptions are the Orchid $10, $25, $50, $500, $1000, $10000, and the 1990 SG25, where it also appears on the back. A unique case is the Bird $10000 note, which is the only Singapore banknote that has an additional line of repeated “TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS” printed as part of its background design.
