The Brunei dollar (
sign: B$,
Malay: ''ringgit Brunei'',
currency code: ''BND''), has been the
currency
A currency, "in circulation", from la, currens, -entis, literally meaning "running" or "traversing" is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins.
A more general ...
of
the Sultanate of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the
dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from other
dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 ''sen'' (Malay) or ''
cents'' (English). The Brunei dollar is issued by the
Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam
The Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB; ms, Bank Pusat Brunei Darussalam), formerly known as Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam (, AMBD) is the central bank of Brunei. It was established under the Monetari Brunei Darussalam Order, 2010, ...
(Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam).
Under a Currency Interchangeability Agreement in 1967, the Brunei dollar is interchangeable with the
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar (currency sign, sign: S$; ISO 4217, code: SGD) is the official currency of the Republic of Singapore. It is divided into 100 cent (currency), cents. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or S$ to distinguish ...
at par. As such, the Brunei dollar is accepted in Singapore as "customary tender"; likewise, the Singapore dollar is accepted in Brunei.
History
Early currency in Brunei included
cowrie
Cowrie or cowry () is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
The term ''porcelain'' derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (''porcellana'') ...
shells. Brunei is also famous for its bronze teapots, which were used as currency in barter trade along the coast of northern
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and e ...
. The
Spanish-American silver dollar brought over by the
Manila galleons
fil, Galyon ng Maynila
, english_name = Manila Galleon
, duration = From 1565 to 1815 (250 years)
, venue = Between Manila and Acapulco
, location = New Spain (Spanish Empire) ...
was in wide use for
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
's international trade from the 16th to 19th centuries; the 19th century
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.
H ...
was itself derived from the same coin.
Brunei issued
tin coins denominated in
pitis in
AH1285 (
AD1868). These were followed by a one cent coin in
AH1304 (
AD1888). This cent was one hundredth of a
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.
H ...
.
As a protectorate of
Britain in the early 20th century, Brunei used the
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.
H ...
from 1906, the
Malayan dollar
The Malayan dollar ( Malay: ''ringgit'', Jawi: رڠڬيت) was the currency of the British colonies and protectorates in Malaya and Brunei until 1953. It was introduced in 1939, replacing the Straits dollar at par, with 1 dollar = two shillings ...
from 1939 and the
Malaya and British Borneo dollar
The Malaya and British Borneo dollar ( ms, ringgit; ms, رڠڬيت, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) was the currency of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo, Brunei and the Riau archipelago from 1953 to 1967 and was the successo ...
from 1953 until 1967, when it began issuing its own currency.
The Brunei dollar replaced the
Malaya and British Borneo dollar
The Malaya and British Borneo dollar ( ms, ringgit; ms, رڠڬيت, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) was the currency of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo, Brunei and the Riau archipelago from 1953 to 1967 and was the successo ...
in 1967 after the formation of
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
and the independence of
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
. Until 23 June 1973, the
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit (; plural: ringgit; symbol: RM; currency code: MYR; Malay name: ''Ringgit Malaysia''; formerly the Malaysian dollar) is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 ''sen'' (formerly ''cents''). The ringgit is issu ...
was exchangeable at par with the Singapore dollar and Brunei dollar. The
Monetary Authority of Singapore and the
Brunei Currency and Monetary Board (now the Authoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam) still maintain the exchangeability of their two currencies. The dollar is accepted as "customary tender" in Singapore according to the Currency Interchangeability Agreement,
although it is not legal tender there.
History of coins used in Brunei
Coins were used in Brunei from the 10th century. The
Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.
H ...
was also used in Brunei from 1906.
Due to the close ties between
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
and
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
, the first type of coins used in Brunei were Chinese coins. This was initially called ‘Pitis’. They were later known as ‘Kue’ when local ‘Pitis’ were introduced.
The local ‘Pitis’ coins had ‘Sultanate of Brunei’ stamped in front of the coin and the royal umbrella was imprinted at the back. These were issued from the 16th to the 19th century. Previous Islamic coins were also called the ‘Pitis’.
Another type of coin that was used in Brunei were ‘
Duit besi’ (which roughly translates to ‘Iron money’). Iron was considered valuable those days that it was used as money. 100 one-square inch pieces were valued at 1 dollar.
The last coin to be issued before the introduction of the Straits Settlements currency was the ‘Duit Bintang’, otherwise known as the ‘Star coin’ or the 'Star Cent'.
It is called the Star coin because of the star imprinted on the obverse of the coin. It was minted in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, in 1887.
It was made from
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...
.
With the introduction of the Straits Settlements currency, the previously used coins were taken out of circulation. They were, however still used with certain exchange rates.
History of banknotes used in Brunei
The Straits dollar was introduced in Brunei in 1906. It was later replaced by the
Malayan dollar
The Malayan dollar ( Malay: ''ringgit'', Jawi: رڠڬيت) was the currency of the British colonies and protectorates in Malaya and Brunei until 1953. It was introduced in 1939, replacing the Straits dollar at par, with 1 dollar = two shillings ...
which was introduced to British colonies and Brunei in 1939. It replaced the Straits dollar at par with a 1:1 exchange rate. The Malayan dollar was issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency in Malaya. The board stopped issuing the Malayan dollar during the
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
ese invasion during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. The Malayan dollar had the portrait of
King George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
in front of the note.
In 1952, the board was renamed the Board of Commissioners of Malaya and
British Borneo
British Borneo comprised the four northern parts of the island of Borneo, which are now the country of Brunei, two Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Malaysian federal territory of Labuan. During the British colonial rule before Wor ...
. The board then began to issue notes to
Malaya,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
,
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
,
British North Borneo, and
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by th ...
in 1953. This was known as the
Malaya and British Borneo dollar
The Malaya and British Borneo dollar ( ms, ringgit; ms, رڠڬيت, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) was the currency of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, North Borneo, Brunei and the Riau archipelago from 1953 to 1967 and was the successo ...
.
In 1967, the Malaya and British Borneo dollar was replaced by three new currencies: the
Malaysian dollar
The Malaysian ringgit (; plural: ringgit; symbol: RM; currency code
ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that defines alpha codes and numeric codes for the representation of curre ...
,
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar (currency sign, sign: S$; ISO 4217, code: SGD) is the official currency of the Republic of Singapore. It is divided into 100 cent (currency), cents. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or S$ to distinguish ...
and the Brunei dollar, all at par.
The
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar (currency sign, sign: S$; ISO 4217, code: SGD) is the official currency of the Republic of Singapore. It is divided into 100 cent (currency), cents. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or S$ to distinguish ...
is still interchangeable with the Brunei dollar today.
Coins
In 1967, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents. Except for the bronze 1 cent, the coins were struck in cupro-nickel. In 1986, copper-clad steel replaced bronze. Later, in 2008, the 1 cent coins switched compositions to brass.
Banknotes
On 12 June 1967, the government (''Kerajaan Brunei'') introduced notes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 dollars. Notes for 500 and 1000 dollars followed in 1979. In 1989, the title on the paper money was changed to ''Negara Brunei Darussalam'', the official name of the country, and the Malay term for “State of Brunei, Abode of Peace.” 10,000 dollar notes were introduced the same year. All notes bear the denomination in Malay (in both
Rumi
Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī ( fa, جلالالدین محمد رومی), also known as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī (), Mevlânâ/Mawlānā ( fa, مولانا, lit= our master) and Mevlevî/Mawlawī ( fa, مولوی, lit= my ma ...
and
Jawi) and in English. The English denomination appeared on the obverse below the denomination in Malay on the earlier series, but now appears on the reverse together with the
Jawi.
Five series of notes have been issued. The colours of $1, $5, and $10 notes have been the same for all the series of banknotes
1967 series
First series (1967) – currency with the portrait of
Omar Ali Saifuddin III, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III, the 28th ruler of Brunei.
* $1 –
blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...
* $5 –
green
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combin ...
* $10 –
red
* $50 –
brown
Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model ...
* $100 –
purple
Purple is any of a variety of colors with hue between red and blue. In the RGB color model used in computer and television screens, purples are produced by mixing red and blue light. In the RYB color model historically used by painters ...
1972 series
Second series – This series was the same as the first series with exception that the portrait of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin was replaced by the portrait of
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
, the 29th and current ruler of Brunei. All subsequent currency has the portrait of Hassanal Bolkiah. In addition, two new higher denominations were issued in 1979.
* $1 ~ $100 like 1967 series
* $500 – pink
* $1000 – yellow
1989 series
Third series – the post independence series. This series was gradually being replaced by the fourth series.
* $1 – blue
* $5 – green
* $10 – red
* $50 – brown, green, orange
* $100 – purple
* $500 – orange
* $1,000 – red-violet, purple, olive
* $10,000 – green, orange
1996–2000 polymer and paper series
Fourth Series (1996–2000) all notes except for the polymer issues are no longer printed.
2004–2007 (polymer) series
Polymer banknote
Polymer banknotes are banknotes made from a synthetic polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP). Such notes incorporate many security features not available in paper banknotes, including the use of metameric inks. Polymer banknot ...
s were introduced in (2004) due to high cases of banknote forgery. All of them are polymer. The $100 note of this series has won a gold medal award for its security features in the 22nd National Print Award in Australia in May 2005.
The
S$10,000 and B$10,000 notes are the world's most valuable banknotes, worth US$8000 as of September 2014 (that are officially in circulation).
They are worth eight times as much as the next most valuable, the 1000
Swiss franc
The Swiss franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues banknotes and the ...
note (US$1063). From 6 November 2020, AMBD has announced it will stop printing B$10,000 notes to reduce the risk of money laundering. Brunei has also stopped the issuance of B$10,000 and is in the process of withdrawing it from active circulation.
2011 polymer series
* $1 – blue (2011)
* $5 – green and yellow (2011)
* $10 – red, yellow and brown (2011)
: To commemorate the 65th birthday of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. Shortly after the notes were issued, the
Braille
Braille (Pronounced: ) is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired, including people who are blind, deafblind or who have low vision. It can be read either on embossed paper or by using refreshable braille displ ...
dots on the upper left front corner of the new polymer notes are not raised. The Braille dots cannot be felt tactilely, and they are not accurately rendered as Braille numbers corresponding to the denominations. Specifically, the spacing of the dots is wrong, and they lack the lead-in character that indicates that numbers follow.
Commemorative banknotes
* $25 – purple and beige (1992)
:This was issued during the silver jubilee (25th anniversary) of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah acceding to the throne. The design is of the 1989 series of currency.
* $20 – yellow (polymer, 2007)
:On 27 June 2007, Singapore and Brunei celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Currency Interchangeability Agreement (since 12 June 1967) by joint-issuing commemorative $20 notes.
:The two authorities issue distinct versions of the new $20 notes. They are both yellow, 149 × 72 mm in size, and made of
polymer
A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + '' -mer'', "part")
is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic a ...
. The reverses are almost identical except that the Brunei version has their state title in
Jawi script
Jawi (; ace, Jawoë; Kelantan-Pattani: ''Yawi''; ) is a writing system used for writing several languages of Southeast Asia, such as Acehnese, Banjarese, Kerinci, Maguindanaon, Malay, Minangkabau, Tausūg, and Ternate. Jawi is bas ...
, while th
Singaporean versionhas the state title of Brunei in
Latin script
The Latin script, also known as Roman script, is an alphabetic writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae, in southern ...
.
The obverse of the Singaporean version is similar to the current
Portrait Series, whereas the obverse of the Brunei version is similar to the $50 and $100 of the 2004 series.
:There is a limited edition set, which consists of both versions in a folder, with matching serial number. The notes have "40th Anniversary Currency Interchangeability Agreement" overprinted on obverse. In addition, the Singaporean version has the two countries' state crests above the commemorative text. Only 12,000 sets are available, 10,000 from the
Monetary Authority of Singapore, and 2,000 from the Brunei Currency and Monetary Board.
:The circulation version has been available since 16 July 2007.
* $50 - yellow (polymer, 2017)
: In 2017, both Brunei and Singapore issued $50 polymer banknotes in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of its Currency Interchangeability Agreement.
* $50 - yellow (polymer, 2017)
: In 2017, the
Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam
The Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB; ms, Bank Pusat Brunei Darussalam), formerly known as Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam (, AMBD) is the central bank of Brunei. It was established under the Monetari Brunei Darussalam Order, 2010, ...
issued a $50 polymer banknote, alongside a 50 cent coin, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sultan Hassan al-Bolkiah's accession to the throne. On the front it depicts the monarch's coronation alongside a portrait of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. One notable security feature of the note is the use of an
optically variable ink called "spark live"
See also
*
Economy of Brunei
*
Brunei pitis
References
External links
Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam)
{{Portal bar, Asia, Money, Numismatics
Dollar
Currencies of Asia
Circulating currencies
Currencies of the Commonwealth of Nations
Economy of Brunei
Currencies of Brunei
Currencies introduced in 1967
Fixed exchange rate
1967 establishments in Asia