Hi there, I'm new on this forum. I do have an interest in banknote collection, but my grandmother just closed her safe deposit box and we found a HUGE stack of notes inside. Most are rather high face value, so we're planning on keeping a few notes of interest, and depositing the rest in the bank, as I'm not a dedicated enough currency collector to keep $10000 worth of notes.

However, I'm a bit curious as to whether these notes are worth more than their face value.

The notes are all in uncirculated condition. The ones I'm interested in are the Orchid series (~1967) $100 and $500 notes. They are all A/1 (first series) notes, and serial numbers are generally in running sequences of 10 to 20 notes. However, there aren't any solid numbers in there, and the most interesting serial number I can recall offhand is something like 152525. The $500 banknotes are A/1 006001 - 006022, which seems to me to be a pretty long running sequence for such high face value uncirculated notes, but I'm not very sure about this. Oh and hey, just realised, that means there's a 006006 in there. Heh.

Anyway basically, I'm looking for a little advice from the collective wisdom in this forum

Are these notes worth selling to collectors, or should my family just keep the ones of interest to us (e.g. 006010, 10 being my sister's age) and deposit the rest in the bank?

Thanks so much for all your help.

Even the low denomination notes have a strong collector value, this is a popular series. But I will differ to a higher authority on Singapore notes to make a recommendation here...

See323 is the person to see on these notes. He would be able to give you an accurate value.

He should be along sometime

I think you have a big collection. Not many people collect large $500 note in the early days. The good thing is that they are all uncirculated ( There should be no folds, count marks etc ). There are many of these sold in ebay which are washed and pressed and a number claimed to be uncirculated. As for the prices, it depends on the market. There is only one prefix for $500 and that is A/1. It is almost impossible to find solid numbers. I have one with the serial number 270027 in my collection.

As for the Orchid $100, there are only six prefixes from A/1 to A/6. I have a rare solid 555555 from the last prefix A/6 in my collection. It was heavily circulated which I only bought it in 2004. Any solids for the Orchid $100 is rare.

In your case, you can try selling them in ebay. I believe your grandmother must have got them at face value from the banks in Singapore in the early days. If you have any more questions, you can message me.

I'm sure you might make a better profit in selling them in a longer sequence, it's not too easy to find such high denomination notes in such sequence.

What a wonderful find, I would love to be able to afford some of the high end notes I also agree with what has been said above

im new for this forum. i have a $10000 orchid series note n im looking for buyer. the note still legel for trade?? how to sell the note??

kalai, I am not too sure if you do have a genuine 10,000 Orchid note. I am inclining towards a faithful reproduction. Would you happen to have a picture of it?

thanks for ur reply 'gxseries'.. i have upload the image of the note. its a genuine note??

kalai, you might have a genuine note there wow! The face value of it alone is at USD6,825 (I am not joking there - almost seven thousand dollars there) although I am sure most money changer will not exchange such note because it's high denomination. It is most definately legal tender but that note is definately some 30-40 years old! To make it more impressive, that note is a replacement note which increases its value but unfortunately due to it's condition, the prenium might be a bit small. But boy, if you are going to sell it or exchange it, it will definately take some time!


See323, can you confirm what I have mentioned?

'gxseries' how can i exchange the note?? im tried to exchange over here but most of the money changers never seen suh note before.. im from malaysia.. can u advice me some ways to sell the note?? thanx.

kalai, there is a good reason why - 10000sgd is just a big sum of money. In fact I don't think most Singaporeans would have seen it either because it's just a HUGE sum of money. I am really hoping that you don't have a fake note there but just in case, you should use a UV light and see if there are any security features there. Most money changers would have them too. I am not too sure what can possibly appear but for such a big note, I am sure there is something.

Your last chance is actually to send the note someone in Singapore that you can trust to help you with the transaction. Please kindly wait for See323's comments - he's the expert in Singapore notes.

when used the UV light, there r some marks. its looks like the british colany head.

Hi Kalai,

In the first place, where did you get this 10k note from ? Did you buy the note from someone or was it given to you by someone. The design of the note look genuine but I can be quite sure that it is a reproduction note given my observation on the following points below.

(1) There should be a word "Reproduction" printed on the lower edge of the note. The edges seems to be trimmed purposely to remove the word. There are already some cases of cheating in ebay. During this year, I spotted an Italian ebay seller selling a 1953 QEII British Borneo and Malaya $50. The edges were all removed. The serial number is a known reproduction note. This reproduction notes produced in Singapore causes a lot of problem worldwide especially to money changers. The paper quality is normal paper. If you have one of them, you can feel the paper. It is quite obvious that it is a normal paper.

(2) The note seems to have gone through a war zone which is quite unlikely for a large note as they do not circulated faster than any other denomination. They are usually quite clean and may have a few crossfolds due to it's large size. This note only have a single hard centrefold which is also quite unlikely for a large note used in the early days. The people who use them usually make a lot of folds on these large banknotes. It is human nature and happen everywhere around the world. Just like those USA Black Eagle 1899 $1 note. They also have a lot of crossfolds on them.

(3) There should be a watermark on the circular window. All Orchid notes should have a side view lion head and that include the $10,000 note as well. Is the British Colonial head ( whose head ??? QEII or KGVI ) on the circular window. After Singapore became independent in 1965, why would they want to borrow a British Colonial head for the Singapore First Banknotes. It is something quite strange and unacceptable.

(4) If you look at the serial number, the prefix is a Z/1. It is a replacement note. There are not many replacement note seen or found for a 10K note due to low production ( mintage ). I believe the reproduction note does have these Z/1 serial number.

Here is what was stated in the MAS website for the Orchid Series banknotes.

1ST SERIES - THE ORCHID SERIES CURRENCY NOTES (1967 - 1976)

This series has nine denominations. The dominant feature is a spray of orchid in the centre of the front of each note. On the front, all notes have the Singapore Arms, a watermark of a lion's head and the signature of the Minister for Finance and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore. With the exception of the $10,000 note which has two security threads, each note has a single thread embedded vertically across the note. A scene of Singapore is depicted on the back.

Here is the link for more information : http://www.mas.gov.sg/currency/currency_in...hid_Series.html

If you still want to exchange the note for cash, you can come to any of the Singapore banks. Just drive down or take a train to Singapore. Good luck with your exchange.

I'll throw my imput in.....I agree with see323 that it is a reproduction note with the edges trimmed.

Why else would the edges get trimmed off? But to remove the word "Reproduction"

Ron Wise's website shows another reproduction note that also starts with a Z/1 serial.

whts mean Reproduction??

Reproduction means that it's a faithful copy of the original because the original is either very rare or just simply too expensive. Perhaps like what see said, if your note doesn't match specification, it's a reproduction. http://www.mas.gov.sg/currency/currency_in...ies__10000.html

If your note isn't 203 mm x 133 mm, then it's not genuine.

Sometime in late 1990s in Singapore, a private organization started printing these reproduction notes for charity. The paper quality was no where close to the quality of currency paper. These notes now appear everyone in the world. It becomes a big headache for world collector.

My question is how did you receive this note. Did you buy it or someone give it to you. Does it has a watermark of a lion head when you place the note against the light ? In the same way, we are also like to know whether the note that you have is a reproduction one or a genuine one.