Statute Details
- Title: Currency (Denominations and Characteristics of Coins) (No. 4) Notification 2013
- Act Code: CA1967-S770-2013
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation / notification (SL)
- Authorising Act: Currency Act (Chapter 69)
- Key Enabling Provision: Section 17(5) of the Currency Act
- Notification Reference: SL 770/2013
- Date of Notification: 20 December 2013
- Commencement (as stated in the extract): Coins to be issued on 1 January 2014
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026 (per platform status)
- Regulator: Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Currency (Denominations and Characteristics of Coins) (No. 4) Notification 2013 is a legislative instrument issued under the Currency Act. In plain terms, it is a formal public notice that specifies the denominations and physical characteristics of certain coins that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) intends to issue on a specified date.
Unlike a full Act of Parliament, this is a targeted notification. Its practical function is to ensure that the public, businesses, and relevant stakeholders can clearly identify the coinage that will be in circulation. By setting out the denominations and characteristics in a schedule, the notification supports consistency in coin production and helps prevent confusion or disputes about what constitutes legal coinage.
The extract indicates that the notification relates to coins to be issued on 1 January 2014. The schedule (not reproduced in the extract you provided) is where the detailed specifications would be set out—typically including matters such as the coin’s denomination, design features, and other identifying characteristics.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Legal basis and “general information” purpose. The notification is made “pursuant to section 17(5) of the Currency Act” and states that it is “hereby notified for general information.” This language is important: it signals that the notification is intended to inform the public and stakeholders of the official specifications for the coinage that MAS will issue.
2. MAS authority to issue coins and the requirement to specify characteristics. Section 17(5) of the Currency Act empowers MAS to issue coins and requires that the denominations and characteristics be notified. The notification therefore operates as the mechanism by which MAS discharges that statutory requirement. For practitioners, this is a classic example of a statutory “delegated specification” model: Parliament sets the framework in the Currency Act, and MAS fills in the technical details through a notification.
3. The schedule as the operative content. The extract shows that the notification’s operative information is contained in “THE SCHEDULE.” In practice, the schedule is where the legal description of each coin is set out. The schedule would typically identify each coin by denomination and describe its characteristics in a way that can be used for verification—whether by the public, cash-handling systems, or enforcement bodies.
4. Timing: coins to be issued on 1 January 2014. The notification states that the denominations and characteristics of the coins to be issued on 1st January 2014 are “as shown in the Schedule.” This creates a clear temporal link between the notification and the coin issuance. For compliance and operational planning, the date matters: it tells cash handlers, retailers, financial institutions, and automated vending/cash systems when the new coin specifications are expected to enter circulation.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This notification is structured in a relatively simple format typical of coin-specification instruments. Based on the extract, the key elements are:
(a) Enacting formula. The enacting formula identifies the legal authority (section 17(5) of the Currency Act) and frames the notification as a public notice.
(b) The Schedule. The schedule is the central component. It contains the detailed list of coins and their denominations and characteristics. In legal terms, the schedule is where the “substance” of the notification resides.
(c) Administrative references. The extract includes internal reference codes (e.g., MAS and AG/LLRD/SL/69/2010/1 Vol. 2). While not usually determinative of legal effect, these references help locate the administrative record and cross-reference the drafting and approval process.
(d) Versioning and timeline. The platform indicates that the notification is “current version as at 27 March 2026” and references a timeline entry for 20 December 2013. For practitioners, this matters because coin specifications can be updated by subsequent notifications. The versioning system helps ensure that you are reading the correct instrument at the relevant time.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The notification is directed at the public and at stakeholders involved in the handling and recognition of Singapore coins. While the notification itself is not usually framed as imposing direct duties on private parties, its effect is practical: it defines what coins MAS is authorised to issue and what those coins should look like.
In practice, the notification will be relevant to:
- Financial institutions and cash-processing entities that must recognise and process coin denominations correctly;
- Retailers and cash-handling businesses that accept coins and need to ensure their systems and staff can identify them;
- Automated cash devices (e.g., vending machines, coin sorters) that rely on technical specifications to validate coins;
- Enforcement and regulatory bodies concerned with authenticity and compliance within the currency system.
Because the notification is made under the Currency Act, it sits within a broader legal framework governing currency issuance and legal tender. Even where the notification does not expressly state “penalties” or “offences,” it contributes to the legal baseline for what constitutes official coinage.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the notification is short in the extract, it is legally and operationally significant. Coinage specifications are foundational to the integrity of a currency system. If denominations and characteristics were not clearly defined and publicly notified, disputes could arise about whether a particular coin is official, whether a coin is counterfeit, or whether a coin should be accepted by machines and businesses.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the notification is also important because it demonstrates how Singapore uses subsidiary legislation to manage technical details. The Currency Act provides the authority and framework; the notification provides the specific technical content for a particular issuance cycle. This structure is relevant when advising clients on compliance, procurement of cash-handling technology, or risk management in cash operations.
Finally, the notification’s timing—coins to be issued on 1 January 2014—highlights the need for businesses to monitor legislative updates. Cash systems often require calibration and software updates when coin designs or characteristics change. A failure to track the relevant notification could lead to operational losses (e.g., rejected coins) or compliance issues (e.g., accepting coins that are not consistent with the official specifications).
Related Legislation
- Currency Act (Chapter 69) — in particular section 17(5) (enabling the issuance of notifications specifying coin denominations and characteristics)
- Currency (Denominations and Characteristics of Coins) Notifications — including other “No.” notifications that update or expand coin specifications over time (e.g., earlier or later notifications under the same enabling provision)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Currency (Denominations and Characteristics of Coins) (No. 4) Notification 2013 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.