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On Monday (May 15), the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched a S$10 coin to commemorate Lee Kuan Yew's 100th birth anniversary.

MAS said in a news release that the coin "pays tribute to [Lee's] strategic vision, boldness and indomitable spirit that transformed Singapore from a regional trading port to a global manufacturing, business and financial hub".

What the coin looks like

The coin is gold in colour and is minted in aluminium bronze.

It has a diameter of 30mm, which is larger than the current Third Series circulation coins, said MAS.

Designed by local artist Weng Ziyan, the reverse side of the coin features a portrait of Lee, accompanied by Marina Barrage in the foreground.

According to MAS, Marina Barrage represents Lee's "vision to build a freshwater reservoir in the city" to strengthen Singapore's water resilience.

The backdrop also features the skyline of the Raffles Place financial district, as well as Fullerton Hotel and National Gallery Singapore— two heritage buildings which have "witnessed significant milestones in Singapore's history", said MAS.

On the other side of the coin, a dual latent image can be seen below the Singapore Coat of Arms.

The image features Lee's birth year, "1923", as viewed from one angle, and his 100th birth anniversary, "2023", as viewed from another.

Applications open to Singapore citizens and PRs only

Applications for the coin, which starts on May 15 and ends on Jun. 9, are only open to Singapore citizens and permanent residents.

Each applicant can apply for a maximum of five coins.

If demand is high, applicants may not be allocated the quantity of coins requested, but will be allocated at least one coin, MAS said.

How to apply

Applications can be made online.

Each applicant will be required to indicate their identity number, mobile number and preferred bank branch to collect the coins.

An SMS notification will then be sent shortly after the application to confirm that it has been received.

No upfront payment will be requested at the point of application, MAS said.

Successful applicants will pay for the coins, at its face value of S$10 each, when collecting the coins at the banks.

MAS added that those who require in-person assistance with the online application may approach any community club/centre, or the ServiceSG Centres at Our Tampines Hub and One Punggol.

Collection of Coins

The coins will be available for collection from September 2023.

Successful applicants will receive an SMS notification from mid-August 2023, prior to the collection period allocated to each applicant.

The SMS notification will include information on the quantity of coins allocated, collection period, and bank branch allocated.

"All SMS notifications from MAS for the LKY100 coin will not contain any clickable link nor ask for any upfront payment," MAS said.

It added that the coins that are not exchanged during the collection window will subsequently be made available for exchange at the banks by the general public, including non-Singaporeans.

More information on the coin can be found here.

Top images via MAS.