His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office launching the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, and the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’ in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday

Unveiling the new 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah Ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, yesterday attended the Launching Ceremony of the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, and the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’ in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne. His Royal Highness is the Patron of the Advisory Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration and Chairman of Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam Board of Directors.

Upon arrival at the Prime Minister’s Office, His Royal Highness was greeted by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, as member of the Advisory Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne. Also welcoming His Royal Highness were the co-chairpersons of the Executive Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration, Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, Yang Di-Pertua of Adat Istiadat Negara; Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Home Affairs; Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Haji Ibrahim, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance; Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Doctor Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti; and Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Mohd Roselan bin Haji Mohd Daud, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office. The ceremony organised by Authority Monetary Brunei Darussalam, AMBD, began with the reading of Surah Al-Fatihah led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Imam Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Hamid bin Bakal.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia Doctor Haji Awang Abu Bakar in his welcoming speech explained the design concept of the Brunei 50 Dollar polymer note, commemorative coins and 5th Series of Coins in Circulation. The design concept of the Brunei 50 dollar polymer note was inspired from the caring and attentive nature of His Majesty that signifies the monarch’s personality as The People’s Monarch. The currency also portrays His Majesty’s priority in instilling religious principles and reflecting the country’s era of modernisation under the monarch’s reign.

His Royal Highness officiated the launch of the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, as well as the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’.

AMBD will be issuing 500,000 of the commemorative 50 cents which will be available for public exchange at face value across all banks and its branches from Monday, 9th of October.  An exclusive collection of several types of limited edition numismatic note and coin sets will also be available for pre-order from today, 4th of October. Meanwhile, the book entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ which is filled with the history of His Majesty’s 50 year reign is written by Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Seri maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Doctor Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned, the State Mufti. The book’s publication in the Malay and English Languages is hoped to contribute towards portraying His Majesty’s image as the Head of State and Head of Government. The books will be available for sale tomorrow at the State Mufti’s Office, Jalan Pengiran Babu Raja.

Before leaving the ceremony, His Royal Highness received junjung ziarah from members of the Executive Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebration, members of the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam Board of Directors, senior officers of the State Mufti Department and Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam as well as the special launching ceremony committee members. From RTB news.

During the launch of the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation, and the State Mufti’s Office publications entitled ‘Raja Melakar Sejarah’ and ‘The King who Shapes History’ in conjunction with the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne at the Banquet Hall of Prime Minister’s Office

Press conference being held by AMBD

A good collection but on the high end

At least BND 10,000 worth being photographed on the table

Rano’s thoughts: I managed to pre-order the limited pieces through Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) website and it will be available some time in November 2017. I was already impressed with previous edition – the 50 years Brunei Darussalam-Singapore Currency Interchangeability, and now AMBD have raised the bar with the Brunei 50 dollar Commemorative Polymer Note, Commemorative Coins and the 5th Series of Coins in Circulation.

The AMBD website crashed a few times yesterday after it was officially online, showing the demands for the 9 items available for order. The website now is back to normal and will be able to accommodate the demand. In a space of a few hours, they managed to have roughly 1,000 pre-order transactions. That was quite impressive and I believe many are eyeing the commemorative notes and coins.

Another proud moment to cherish for Brunei is that AMBD has allocated around 100,000 pieces of 50 coins in special packaging which will be distributed to students (registered under the Ministry of Education) in all public and private school from pre-school students to sixth form students in all four districts later in the year. That’s pretty awesome I must say. It will be a good way to commemorate The Sultan of Brunei’s 50 years of harmonious and peaceful ruling of Brunei Darussalam.

Thank you, AMBD, for the invitation of the launch and I shall be waiting for my new collection pretty soon 😀 You can view the collection and pre-order the items.

Posing with the star of the day

This is a very special note. Why? Look at the serial number 😀

The special edition of the 50 cents coin will be distributed to all students from pre-school to sixth form

I shall get a copy of this at The State Mufti (at Jalan Babu Raja)

Rashidah of The Scoop being interviewed by RTB

Check out the new 50 commemorative polymer notes

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar’Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and His Excellency Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore jointly launched the new $50 commemorative notes issued by the two countries at the Instant Presidential Palace in Singapore this morning. Image taken by EPA.

Officiating the ceremony to commemorate the milestone. Image taken by AFP.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar’Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and His Excellency Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore jointly launched the new $50 commemorative notes issued by the two countries in a ceremony held today at the Istana Presidential Palace, Singapore, to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

The Currency Interchangeability Agreement took effect on 12 June 1967 between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore to facilitate improved economic and trade relations between the parties, and is a key economic cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. It was signed by the then Chairman of the Brunei Currency Board (now known as Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam) and the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Currency, Singapore (which merged with the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 2002).

Under the Agreement, AMBD and MAS will accept the currency issued by the other, and to exchange it at par and without charge, into their own currency. Banks in both countries will accept for deposit from the general public and businesses, currency issued by the other country at par.

Through the years, the Agreement has brought about economic benefits and strengthened the financial links between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. Today’s joint launch of the new $50 commemorative notes reaffirms to the public, retailers and financial institutions in both countries that Brunei Darussalam and Singapore currency notes are still interchangeable at par.

The commemorative notes will be made available to the general public both in Brunei Darussalam and Singapore from 2pm today, 5 th July 2017, while the circulation notes will be available from 2pm Friday, 7th July 2017 across all banks and their branches in both countries.

For more information on the 50th Anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, please visit AMBD’s website at www.ambd.gov.bn or download the AMBD App through the Appstore or Google Playstore.

There has been so much buzz on the commemorative notes from AMBD as many were interested in them. I won’t be surprised if the stocks they have currently will run out in a few days time. I’m hoping to get hold of them once I get back from my short trip.

The new Brunei BND50 note

The new Singapore SGD 50 note

Interesting fact: The special bills, which were jointly designed by Brunei’s Abdul Ajihis Haji Terawih, and Singapore artists Eng Siak Loy and Weng Ziyan, pay tribute to the ties between the two countries.

The front of the B$50 and S$50 notes remain unique to each sovereign nation – Brunei’s features a portrait of the Sultan, and Singapore one of its first president Yusof Ishak – the shared design on the back of these notes reflects “our common values, as well as key areas of our close cooperation, including in defence education and tourism.

The designs on the back include sketches of students, among other items.

The flowers in full bloom on the front symbolise “the flourishing friendship between the two countries”, a joint statement by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and its Brunei counterpart said.

The front also includes the 50th anniversary logo of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement, which came into effect on June 12, 1967.

The Identical Numbered Notes Set and Brunei 3-in-1 Uncut Sheet. Limited stocks. Click image to enlarge.

Brunei 8-in-1 Uncut Sheet and Brunei 40-in-1 Uncut Sheet. Limited stocks. Click image to enlarge.

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