CNA has an exclusive look at the design process.
This coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of Singapore founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s birth on Sep 16, 1923.
4 million coins were minted in Singapore, at the Singapore Mint.
The man behind the design is Weng Ziyan.
His immediate thought, when he was asked to design the coin: How fortunate and honoured he was to have been given the opportunity.
But he was all too aware of the challenges ahead.
“What (I was) conscious (about) was: How do I make it great? How do I make it nice?” he told CNA.
“Mr Lee Kuan Yew had a lot of contributions and a lot of major events that revolved around him, so it (was) quite challenging to distil a key idea, a key narrative for it.”
After many discussions, the elements took shape:
Marina Barrage, representing Mr Lee’s vision to build a freshwater reservoir in the heart of the city.
In the background:
The Raffles Place financial district skyline, the former Fullerton Building and General Post Office, and the former Supreme Court and City Hall - heritage buildings that have seen significant milestones in Singapore’s history.
After many discussions, the elements took shape:
Marina Barrage, representing Mr Lee’s vision to build a freshwater reservoir in the heart of the city.
In the background:
The Raffles Place financial district skyline, the former Fullerton Building and General Post Office, and the former Supreme Court and City Hall - heritage buildings that have seen significant milestones in Singapore’s history.
“I was trying to convey Mr Lee’s contributions to our nation, (how) he elevated Singapore to a business and financial hub globally … and also his vision for Singapore to be water-resilient,” said Mr Weng.
Then there was the question of Mr Lee’s portrait.
“We did a lot of research but there wasn’t a photo that was ready to be used. We didn’t want to compromise the aesthetic of it,” Mr Weng states.
“Showing him in a side profile … basically gives a more inspirational look to it.”
“The portrait I chose for Mr Lee in the coin design is from the period where he made the most significant contributions to Singapore.”
The other side is designed so that you can see Mr Lee’s birth year - 1923 - change into 2023, the year of his 100th anniversary, as you tilt the coin.
The other side is designed so that you can see Mr Lee’s birth year - 1923 - change into 2023, the year of his 100th anniversary, as you tilt the coin.
Four months later, the coins were finally ready to be minted.
They are made of an aluminium bronze material - rather than gold or silver - to keep them affordable for those who want to own them, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) says.
Each coin has a face value of S$10.
The coins are legal tender and can be used to pay for goods and services in Singapore.
Banks will also accept the coins for deposit over the counter, but cash deposit machines are not calibrated to take them.