Statute Details
- Title: Coins to Be Issued on 29th October 1996
- Act Code: CA1967-S444-1996
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Legislative Instrument No.: S 444
- Authorising Act: Currency Act (Chapter 69)
- Key Authorisation Provision: Section 17(5) of the Currency Act
- Commencement / Date of Coin Issue: 29 October 1996
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (as reflected in the legislation portal)
- Document Form: Notification for general information with a Schedule
What Is This Legislation About?
This subsidiary legislation is a formal notification issued under the Currency Act (Chapter 69) to inform the public and relevant stakeholders that the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore (BCCS) will issue coins on a specified date—29 October 1996. In practical terms, it is not a broad regulatory code; rather, it is an administrative/legal instrument that sets out the denominations and characteristics of the coins to be issued.
The legal mechanism is straightforward: the Currency Act empowers the BCCS to determine coin specifications, and section 17(5) requires that the relevant details be “notified for general information.” This SL is the vehicle for that notification. It ensures transparency and legal certainty by publishing the coin specifications in an official legal form, rather than leaving them solely to internal administrative decisions.
Although the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s coin-by-coin details, the instrument’s purpose is clear: it identifies what coins will be issued (by denomination) and describes their defining features (the “characteristics”). Those characteristics typically relate to matters such as design, composition, size, weight, and other physical or technical attributes that distinguish one coin type from another.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Notification of coin issuance date
The operative statement in the extract provides that it is “hereby notified for general information” that coins will be issued on 29 October 1996. This is the anchor fact of the instrument. For practitioners, the issuance date matters because it can determine when particular coin specifications become legally relevant for circulation, acceptance, and any related operational arrangements (e.g., vending machines, cash-handling systems, and banking processes).
2. Legal basis: section 17(5) of the Currency Act
The SL expressly cites section 17(5) of the Currency Act as its authorising provision. This is important for legal validity. It signals that the BCCS’s determinations about coin denominations and characteristics must be published in the manner prescribed by the Act. In other words, the SL is the legally required public notification that gives effect to the Act’s scheme.
3. Denominations and characteristics “as shown in the Schedule”
The extract states that the “denominations and characteristics of the coins to be issued … are as shown in the Schedule hereto.” This indicates that the Schedule is the substantive part containing the technical specifications. For a lawyer advising on compliance, procurement, or systems integration, the Schedule is the critical source document because it is where the legal description of each coin type is set out.
4. General information function (public notice)
The instrument is framed as a notification “for general information.” That wording is significant: it suggests the SL is primarily declaratory and informational, rather than imposing regulatory duties on private parties. However, even informational instruments can have practical legal effects—particularly where other rules, standards, or operational requirements assume that coin specifications are officially published. For example, if a regulation or contractual arrangement refers to “current coin specifications,” the Schedule becomes the authoritative reference.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This SL is structured in a typical Singapore subsidiary legislation format, with a short enacting/notification text and a Schedule containing the substantive details.
Key structural elements include:
- Enacting formula / notification text: The instrument begins with the formal statement that it is notified for general information pursuant to the Currency Act.
- Schedule: The Schedule is referenced as containing the denominations and characteristics of the coins to be issued on 29 October 1996. In practice, the Schedule is where the legal “specification table” would appear.
- Metadata and versioning: The legislation portal indicates “current version as at 27 Mar 2026” and provides a timeline showing the original date (29 Oct 1996) and the instrument number (SL 444/1996; S 444). This helps confirm that the instrument is the same one originally issued, unless amended.
Because the extract is limited, the article cannot reproduce the Schedule’s content. For legal work, the practitioner should obtain the full text of the Schedule from the official source and treat it as the definitive specification.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
On its face, the instrument applies to the coin-issuing authority—the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore—by operating within the statutory framework of the Currency Act. It also applies to the public and market participants in the sense that it provides official notice of what coins will be issued and what their characteristics are.
While the notification does not, in the extract, impose direct obligations on private persons (such as merchants, banks, or manufacturers), it can still be relevant to them. For example, parties that design or calibrate cash-handling equipment, vending systems, or coin-operated devices may need to ensure that their systems can recognise and validate the specified coin denominations and characteristics. Similarly, financial institutions and cash logistics providers may need to align their processes with the official coin specifications.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although this SL is brief, it is legally and operationally important. Coinage is a core element of a country’s monetary system. The Currency Act provides the statutory authority for coin issuance, and section 17(5) ensures that the public is informed of the denominations and characteristics of coins being issued. This SL is the formal publication that satisfies that requirement.
1. Legal certainty and transparency
By publishing the coin specifications in a subsidiary legislation instrument, Singapore ensures that coin characteristics are not merely administrative details. They become part of the official legal record. This reduces disputes about whether a particular coin type is legitimate, current, or within the officially recognised specifications.
2. Practical compliance for industry stakeholders
In practice, the Schedule’s technical details can affect a wide range of stakeholders. Cash-handling equipment manufacturers and operators need accurate specifications to ensure correct recognition and acceptance. Banks and cash-in-transit providers must be able to identify and process the new coin types. Retailers with coin-operated systems must ensure their devices can handle the updated coin set.
3. Integration with the Currency Act framework
The SL’s reliance on section 17(5) of the Currency Act also matters for lawyers advising on statutory interpretation. It demonstrates the legislative design: the Currency Act sets the powers and the notification requirement, while subsidiary instruments implement specific coin issuance events. This structure is typical of monetary legislation, where the “what” (coin specifications) changes over time, but the “authority and process” remain anchored in the parent Act.
Related Legislation
- Currency Act (Chapter 69) — in particular, section 17(5) (authorising notification of coin denominations and characteristics)
- Legislation Timeline / Instrument History — for version confirmation and any amendments (if applicable)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Coins to Be Issued on 29th October 1996 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.