SINGAPORE COIN FAIR 28TH TO 30TH MARCH 2014

I just got back from attending the Singapore coin fair and met up with the usual faces from Malaysia. For collectors who wants to fill up the "gap" that you have been hunting and searching be it coins or banknotes you could find it there. It was held in Marina Bay Sands Hotel and I was quite fascinated by the high grade of some very rare Straits Settlement, British Malaya, Malaysia coins and banknotes that were on sale at the fair that i would have never thought i could see and hold it physically. It gave you the wow factor once it was in your hand.

Generally speaking the prices for high grades are very expensive that went way above market price doubled and even tripled (depending on grades) the price stated in KN BOON catalogue and yet it was still snapped up by collectors. These collectors does not mind paying higher price for high grades banknotes/coins as they are so desperate for the items.

Through out the years till today, Malaysian dealers brought high quality numismatics products (coins and bank notes) to sell to the Singaporean dealers because they are willing to pay premium price compare with Malaysian buyers, so all the good and rare items ended up with Singaporean collectors and fell into dealers inventories. Then they send the good ones to PMG / NGC for grading and once achieved high grade do you think Malaysian collectors could afford buy them back from Singaporean dealers ? Your answer is as good as mine !

The prices are exorbitant and I could not buy anything at the fair, as a consolation therefore I only bought a book at the fair and it was the Frank Goon collection for SGD200.00 (2.605 exchange rate to MYR). Some stalls are selling for SGD350.00. The book show case his entire collection that worth more than USD20 million, his collection are more complete than Bank Negara museum (Sasana Kijang). It is a MUST have for every collectors.

1967 RM10 1ST SERIES ISMAIL ALI PMG 66 EPQ

I was quite disappointed that i did not achieved grade 67EPQ for this one. It is now extremely difficult to find one "perfect" ungraded note for this issue, most of them are foxed.

1976 RM10 & RM5 3RD SERIES ISMAIL ALI PMG 67 EPQ

Finally i managed to achieved my target of PMG 67 EPQ for these two pieces of banknotes of the 3rd series.

Happy Viewing.

1982 RM20 AZIZ TAHA PMG 67EPQ & 1989 RM20 JAFFAR HUSSEIN PMG 67EPQ

Malaysia first RM20 was issued in 1982 under Aziz Taha the then Bank Negara Malaysia governor it was also known as the "Blindman series" because of the four embossment marks on the upper left hand corner. It was meant to help those with visually impaired. This banknotes were amazingly preserved after 32 years in pristine condition and original crisp paper thus the merit of 67 EPQ from PMG are justifiable.

It was printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, UK and its paper are softer thus making it harder to achieve high grade compared with Thomas De La Rue had a sturdier and stronger paper.

Grade 67EPQ currently the highest grade for this series so far. None graded 68EPQ till today.

The prefix "TE" was the last prefix for this series.

1989 RM20 JAFFAR HUSSEIN 

This issue under our former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Jaffar Hussein was the second RM20 issued. The printer was Thomas De La Rue and as i mentioned on the above that its paper are more hardier and durable. Perhaps this was the reason our governor decided to change printer.

Nevertheless it also achieved 67EPQ from PMG as well.

The prefix "TG" was the second in the series of three prefixes. The first prefix "TF", "TG" and "TH" last prefix.

Happy Reading !

MALAYSIA 1967 RM1 1ST SERIES ISMAIL ALI STACK AND SOLID NUMBERS

Here is my stack of 100 pieces consecutive numbers of Malaysia 1st series 1967 RM1 Ismail Ali in GEM UNC condition with beautiful embossment on the back and with original crisps paper. It was printed by Bradbury Wilkinson and amazingly there were no foxing nor yellow stains on the banknotes that was printed 47 years ago. You won't be able to find this amazing stack in such pristine condition and problem free anywhere else now. I will be sending the whole stack to PMG for grading.

Pristine condition stack

Every pieces are problem free 

MALAYSIA SOLID NUMBER 1

Now i will share with you my lucky number ..... Solid # 1. There are too many banknotes returned from PMG and NGC and i will go bonkers if i were to scan every pieces and upload on this blog. However i will select only a few to feature on this blog so please remember to visit my blog regularly.

Malaysia 2012 12th series polymer banknotes Solid #1

Malaysia 2004 11th series with security thread Solid #1

Enjoy !

THE EVOLUTION OF MALAYSIAN NUMISMATICS

Once upon a time without internet, facebook, Ebay and cellular phones was invented, Malaysian collectors met at coffee shop on a weekly basis to share among friends their collections and exchanging information and trades. There were no catalogues for guidance and never heard of Lighthouse, Printz album before.
Collecting gold coins, world coins, banknotes and stamps are only for the wealthy and is known as "hobby for the king".

1940's Chulia Street Penang

The above picture taken in the early forties during the reign of King George VI. There were no air-conditioning during that time and electricity are for selected few (wealthy) only. How can you expect those banknotes could last in tropical climate without foxing till today 2014 ?

1941 $5 currency used during the reign of King George VI in Malaya

Let's fast forward to present day 2014. With the invention of the internet it has bring the world collectors connected that our forefathers could have never dream of. Then comes the smart phones where by people could be reached by short messaging or via email from the sender from another part of the world and business could be done instantly.  

The current demand from our "GEN Y" (Generation Y) collectors are more sophisticated they only collect high grade notes graded by third party. Jobs are plenty economies are booming GEN Y collectors are more wealthy, so they want to collect higher grade notes/coins than the rest so they collect those graded ones to quench their desire (as pictures shown below).

Very highly sought after by GEN Y collectors

Very highly sought after 1971 10sen Parliament coins

I foresee in the very near future (2 years) from now every collectors in Malaysia will be hunting for graded notes and coins. Collectors will be out to compete on grades among each other.

Very rare only 1 piece in every 10 million pieces issued.

There will be no more high grade and original ungraded banknotes left in the near future available unless you have inherited a treasure trove from your great-grandfather. 

This is how our Malaysian numismatics evolves.