Coins of the Brunei dollar facts for kids

The coins of the Brunei dollar are the physical money used in Brunei. Just like Brunei itself has changed over time, so have its coins! Brunei was once protected by the British (from 1888 to 1983). Now, it's an independent country and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Brunei Dollar Coins: A Journey Through Time

The Brunei dollar, also called ringgit Brunei in Malay, is the official money. Each dollar is divided into 100 cents, known as sen in Malay. Let's explore how these coins have changed over the years.

The First Brunei Coins (1967)

The first Brunei coins were created in 1967. This was a big step for Brunei to have its own money! The coins showed the face of the Sultan at that time, Omar Ali Saifuddin III. He ruled Brunei from 1950 to 1967.

The back of these coins, and all the coins that came after them, was designed by a talented artist named Christopher Ironside. The coins made in this first series were 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sen.

• The 1 sen coin was made of Copper-plated zinc. It had a simple edge. The back showed a local design that looked like a flower.
• The 5 sen coin was made of Aluminium bronze. It had a reeded edge (meaning it had small grooves). The back featured a tree-shaped design, said to look like a bird.
• The 10, 20, and 50 sen coins were all made of Cupronickel, which is a mix of copper and nickel. They also had reeded edges.
• The 10 sen coin's back had a claw-shaped design, thought to represent an animal.
• The 20 sen coin showed a vertical oblong pattern, like a tree.
• The 50 sen coin proudly displayed the Coat of Arms of Brunei.

The Second Series: A New Sultan (1968-1977)

In late 1967, Hassanal Bolkiah became the new Sultan after his father stepped down. So, the coins changed to show his face! On these coins, his title was written as SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH I.

The same types of coins (1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sen) were still made. Brunei also started making special commemorative coins during this time. These coins were for special events and had values from $1 up to $1,000!

The materials and designs on the back of the coins stayed mostly the same as the first series. The main difference was the portrait of the new Sultan on the front.

The Third Series: Brunei Becomes Independent (1977-1992)

In 1977, the Sultan's title on the coins changed slightly. It became SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH, without the "I" at the end. You can find coins from 1977 with both titles!

A very important event happened on January 1, 1984. Brunei became a fully independent country! It joined the Commonwealth of Nations as an independent member. The coins continued to be made with the updated Sultan's title.

The coin values, materials, and the designs on the back remained the same as in the previous series.

The Fourth Series: A New Look (1993-Today)

Starting in 1993, the Brunei coins got a fresh new look! A completely new portrait of the Sultan was used. This time, he is shown facing forward. His title on the coins is now SULTAN HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH.

The types of coins (1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sen) are still the same. The designs on the back of the coins also continue to be similar to the earlier series. The 1 sen coin is still made of Copper-plated zinc. The 5, 10, 20, and 50 sen coins are now all made of Cupronickel.