Portrait $50 (1999)
Harmony in Diversity Through the Arts
Our multicultural heritage continued to shine brightly, as we celebrated our diverse arts and ethnic traditions. Ethnic instruments like the Chinese pipa, Malay kompang, Indian veena, and classical violin produced melodies that weaved together our diverse cultural heritage. Local artists, through their paintings and sculptures, captured the diversity of our artistic expression. The arts reminded us of who we were, where we came from, and the beauty of our multicultural identity.
Circulation status: In circulation
Issuing authority:
• Prefixes 0AA & 1AA onwards: BCCS
• Prefixes 2AA onwards: MAS
First issued: 9 September 1999
Pieces issued: Unknown
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Co Ltd or Oesterreichische Banknoten- und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH (OeBS-Austria)
Material: Paper
Artist: Eng Siak Loy
‘Singapore’ in caps
‘Singapore’ in four languages
National Coat of Arms
Lion Head symbols
Image: Arts (back), featuring:
• Chinese Pipa
• Malay Kompang
• Indian Veena
• Classical Violin
• Local artwork ‘Gibbon’
• Local artwork ‘Drying salted fish’
Replacement prefixes: 0PJ, 0PK, 1JJ, 1KN
• 1AA to 1HF: BCCS Hu Tsu Tau
• 1HL to 1HZ, 1KA to 1KN: BCCS Lee Hsien Loong
• 2AA onwards: MAS Lee Hsien Loong
• 3AA onwards: MAS Goh Chok Tong
• 4AA & 5AA onwards: MAS Tharman Shanmugaratnam
• 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
• Silver Kinegram-like device
• Latent image patch of Lion Head
Complete List
The Ever-Popular $50 Note
The $50 denomination has appeared the most times in Singapore’s currency history—a total of seven times. It was featured in the Orchid, Bird, Ship, and Portrait series, as well as in the SG25, SG50, and CIA50 commemorative notes. This comes as no surprise. The $50 note is practical and versatile, and therefore a convenient choice for everyday use and special occasions. This makes it a popular denomination for the government to issue over the years.
The cylindrical cowrie, known as Cypraea cylindrica, is a small sea snail with a smooth, shiny shell shaped like a short cylinder—hence its name. It was commonly found in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, where it was used mainly for decoration, jewellery, and in traditional ceremonies. While other cowries like the money cowrie, wandering cowrie, and gold ring cowrie were more widely used as currency—especially in Africa and parts of Asia—the cylindrical cowrie was not as commonly used for trade. Instead, it held more cultural and symbolic value. People wore it as part of their clothing or used it in rituals, believing it could bring good blessings. Though not as famous as some of its relatives, the cylindrical cowrie is still treasured for its beauty and the meaning it carries in everyday life.
Peaches, or 桃子 (táo zi), have long been seen as more than just a tasty fruit in Chinese culture. They are a symbol of long life and good health. This belief comes from ancient stories, where peaches were said to grow in a heavenly garden and could give immortality to those who ate them. Chinese folklore narrates how the Monkey God, Sun Wukong 孙悟空, once sneaked into the garden of the Queen Mother of the West and ate the magical peaches, hoping to gain eternal life. Because of such legends, peaches became a popular gift for birthdays, especially for elders, as a way of wishing them a long and healthy life. You can find peach shapes in Chinese cakes, decorations, and even on birthday banners.
Growing with the Arts
In our early years, Singapore had a limited arts scene. Lee Kuan Yew had famously declared in 1968: “Poetry is a luxury we cannot afford.” People saw the arts as something extra, rather than a main part of life. Arts events were small, there were minimal platforms for local artists, and limited support for the arts. But things began to change in the late 1990s. The government began to invest more in arts education, funding, and generation of public interest. The opening of venues like the Esplanade in 2002 gave local artists a bigger stage.
Today, art in Singapore isn’t confined to galleries or theatres—it’s part of the public landscape. From murals in neighbourhoods like Tiong Bahru to sculptures along Marina Bay, the government tries to infuse art as part of everyday life. The Public Art Trust, launched in 2014, supports installations in parks, MRT stations, and civic spaces, helping people connect with art in casual and meaningful ways. These works encourage everyone to engage with artistic expression and see creativity as part of the shared urban experience.
Local visual artists have played an important role in shaping Singapore’s art scene. Their works can be seen in places like the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum. Paintings like Chua Mia Tee’s ‘National Language Class’ and Cheong Soo Pieng’s ‘Drying Salted Fish’ reflect everyday life and important moments in Singapore’s history. In recent years, younger artists like Dawn Ng and Sarah Choo Jing have brought in fresh ideas using modern styles and technology. Their artworks explore topics like memory, identity, and daily experiences, helping people to see the world differently.
Chen Wen Hsi’s painting of gibbons shows a pair of the animals swinging gracefully among tree branches. In Chinese tradition, gibbons are seen as intelligent creatures that live high in the mountains, away from the noise of human life. They are often linked to scholars and poets, admired for their quiet nature and connection to the rhythms of the natural world. Chen’s painting captures this sense of stillness and movement at the same time.
Market Value in 2024
Market Price: $85
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, 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 iNaturalist. Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/369166-Erronea-cylindrica.
3. Image by H. Zell, Wikipedia. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Erronea_cylindrica_cylindrica_01.JPG.
4. Image from New Creation Blog. Source: https://newcreation.blog/tag/forbidden-fruit/.
5. Image from VoiceMap. Source: https://voicemap.me/tour/singapore/street-art-hunting-in-kampong-glam.
6. Image by National Heritage Board. Source: https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1029403.
7. Image from Mothership. Source: https://mothership.sg/2019/08/chen-wen-hsi-s50-note-gibbons/.