Portrait $10000 (1999)
Harnessing Knowledge and Innovation For the New Millennium
While strengthening our roots, Singapore kept up our ceaseless quest for economic progress. Ahead of the new millennium, we laid the groundwork for a future-ready economy, where knowledge and technology would become our guiding stars. The air was filled with excitement and possibilities, as we envisioned a knowledge-based economy that would sustain our growth and keep us competitive on the global stage. We invested heavily in education and infrastructure, watching with pride as our burgeoning tech industry began to take shape. The nation was filled with optimism, treating every step forward as a collective stride towards a brighter future.
Circulation status: Discontinued
Issuing authority: BCCS
First issued: 9 September 1999
Pieces issued: 0.5 million (estimated)
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Co Ltd
Material: Paper
Artist: Eng Siak Loy
‘Singapore’ in caps
‘Singapore’ in four languages
National Coat of Arms
Lion Head symbols
Image: Economics (back), featuring:
• Research scientist working on high-technology laboratory equipment
• Microprocessor
• Silicon wafer
• Partial sequences of two proteins: tyrosine kinase & tyrosine phosphatase
• Circuit board
Last prefix: 0AA
Signed & sealed by: Chairman BCCS Hu Tsu Tau
• Fluorescent ink & fibres
• Intaglio & reverse intaglio printing
• Micro-lettering
• Perfect registration of Lion Head
• Ultraviolet-visible text
• Asymmetrical serial number digits
• EURion constellation
• Floral patterns
• Watermark of Yusof Ishak
• Security thread with variable image
• Gold Kinegram-like device
• Latent image patch of Lion Head
A Golden Legacy and a Final Chapter
The Portrait $10000 is the only banknote in Singapore’s history to be printed with a golden hue, chosen to reflect its status as the highest denomination. It is also one of only two notes in the Portrait series—the other being the $1000 note—to feature a gold Kinegram; all other denominations used silver ones. Like the $10000 notes from the earlier Orchid, Bird, and Ship series, this note had only one signatory, making it the only note in the Portrait series with this feature. It was also the last $10000 note ever issued in Singapore: in 2014, the government stopped printing it in order to reduce the risk of money laundering, as such high-value notes made it easy to move large sums of money quietly and quickly.
The Onyx Cowrie is a small sea snail with a smooth, shiny shell that looks like a polished gemstone. Its shell is usually dark brown or black with lighter lines or streaks, just like the layers of the onyx stone, which is how it got its name. It lives in warm tropical waters across the Indo-Pacific region. A long time ago, people loved this cowrie for its beauty. Some made it into necklaces, decorations, or lucky charms, because they believed it could bring good fortune and protection. Today, shell collectors still admire the Onyx Cowrie for its glossy surface and attractive colours.
The Chinese crane, also featured in the Ship $1 and Ship $100 notes, is graceful and elegant. In Chinese celebrations, such as birthdays of elders or weddings, cranes often appear in decorations to express wishes for long life and lasting happiness. The image of a crane rising into the sky represents the soul’s journey to the heavens, while cranes standing among bamboo or pine trees symbolise strength and endurance. In traditional opera and embroidered robes, the crane is also used to mark official rank and scholarly achievement, especially among high-ranking civil servants in ancient China. Whether in myths, art, or everyday life, the crane is an emblem of hope, harmony, and noble character.
The Story of Singapore’s Economy
In the 1990s, Singapore was already known for being clean, safe, and business-friendly. The economy was growing fast, thanks to factories, electronics, banking, and shipping. Many people were working in offices and industries, and Singapore had become a popular place for international companies to set up their regional offices. The government focused on education, attracting investors, and building world-class infrastructure.
To keep the economy growing, the government decided to shift towards a knowledge-based economy. This meant focusing more on technology, innovation, and skilled jobs. A major plan called IT2000 was introduced to bring digital tools into business, government, and daily life—the vision was to create an ‘intelligent island’, a precursor of the ‘Smart Nation’ initiative in 2015. New industries like biotechnology, electronics, and telecommunications were supported through research centres and tech parks. Schools and universities were updated to teach skills for the future. With the internet becoming more common, Singapore began to brand itself as a regional tech hub. Those who lived through the 1980s and 1990s will remember how quickly life changed as we moved into the digital age, with computers, mobile phones, and the internet suddenly becoming a part of our everyday lives.
In recent years, Singapore’s economy has faced several challenges. The cost of living has risen, with housing, food, and transport becoming expensive. Some workers, especially older ones and fresh graduates, worry about job stability and keeping up with a fast-changing job market. There are also concerns about foreign competition and how automation may replace jobs. In response, the government has launched initiatives like SkillsFuture to help Singaporeans upgrade their skills and Workfare to support lower-income workers. More support is also given to local businesses and growing industries like tech and healthcare. Balancing economic growth with fairness, social support, and local opportunities remains one of the government’s biggest tasks today.
Market Value in 2024
Market Price: $10500
Condition
• Ungraded
• Brand new
• No tears, pinholes, stains, foxing, creases or folds
Context
• The information here refers specifically to the banknote featured on the top of this page.
• The same note may fetch a higher price if it is graded, in superior condition, has special serial numbers or other special prefixes, or is a specimen or error note.
• The same note may fetch a lower price if it lacks the first prefix 0AA or is in poorer condition.
Attributions
1. Prefix and banknote details from Vincent Tan and Tan Wei Jie, Singapore Banknotes: Complete Prefix Reference, Mr Banknotes, 2017.
2. Image by Low Kok Sheng, Facebook. Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10155260877423158&set=a.10155260871073158.
3. Image by Iranshahi.Amir Ali, Wikipedia. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cypraea_onyx_S2-21_37mm.jpg.
4. Image from Bird Spot. Source: https://www.birdspot.co.uk/culture/birds-in-chinese-symbolism.
5. Image from National Library Board catalogue. Source: https://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/search/card?recordId=6317434.
6. Image by SkillsFuture.Sg, Facebook. Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1388311941219579.