5 dollars 1989

Common. The 1989 Singapore $5 note (P-19) remains common in the collector market despite being over three decades old. The extensive eBay price history provided shows consistent sales of this note in all grades, with UNC examples regularly selling between $7.99 and $24.72 from 2014-2021, indicating steady but not scarce supply. The 2019 catalog value of $15 UNC further confirms this is a frequently encountered note. No evidence of limited print run, recall, or rarity exists for this standard issue.

Issued in 1989 by the Board of Commissioners of Currency, this note commemorates Singapore's dual identity: the obverse honors the nation's maritime trading heritage through the traditional twakow vessel, while the reverse celebrates its modern role as a global shipping hub via the PSA Container Terminal. The inclusion of the Merlion—Singapore's national symbol—on the reverse further emphasizes the nation's connection to its identity as a port city that transformed from a colonial trading post into a modern financial and commercial center.

The obverse features the national coat of arms of Singapore (crescent moon and star within a wreath) in the upper left corner, with the primary design element being a beautifully engraved traditional twakow—a small coastal trading vessel with full sails characteristic of pre-modern Southeast Asian maritime commerce. An ornamental security feature with colorful floral/decorative patterns appears on the right side. The reverse depicts the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) Container Terminal with multiple container cranes, port infrastructure, and cargo vessels, alongside an ornamental floral motif (iris-like design) on the left and the profile of the Merlion—the mythical national emblem with a lion's head and fish body—on the right. Denomination markers ($5) appear in multiple locations on both sides, and trilingual inscriptions (English, Chinese, and Tamil) reflect Singapore's multicultural character.

Front: 'SINGAPORE' (English), 'SINGAPURA' (Malay/Tamil transliteration), '新加坡' (Chinese—Singapore), 'சிங்கப்பூர்' (Tamil—Singapore), '$5' and 'FIVE DOLLARS' (denomination), 'TWAKOW' (vessel name), 'This note is legal tender', 'MINISTER FOR FINANCE' (issuing authority), Serial number 'A 082694'. Back: '$5' (denomination), 'SINGAPORE' (country), 'PSA CONTAINER TERMINAL' (landmark), 'THOMAS DE LA RUE AND COMPANY LIMITED' (printer's mark).

Intaglio engraving with multicolor offset printing on multicolor underprint, executed by Thomas de la Rue and Company Limited (London), one of the world's premier security printers. The note displays sophisticated security features including complex guillochéwork (fine geometric line patterns), intricate engraved imagery with fine detail variation, watermark areas integrated into the design, and multi-layered security printing demonstrating varying line densities. The ornamental security patterns and color separation technique indicate advanced security printing technology typical of high-quality currency production.

This note bears the serial number prefix 'A' (position A 082694), indicating it is a regular issue note rather than a replacement note. Replacement notes for this Pick number are identified by serial number prefixes Z/1, Z/2, etc., according to PMG records. The note shows no visible overprints or special markings. PMG has catalogued two variants for the base Pick number P-19: the standard P-19 and variants P-19* and P-19s, though without additional distinguishing marks visible in this image, this appears to be the standard P-19 variety.