BNM announce Malaysia new coin 2011

Today, Bank Negara Malaysia BNM announced Malaysia New Coins & Banknotes this year. After many people has been speculating about the new Malaysia currency release date and design. Some information that I get said that the new notes will have Sabah and Sarawak culture/motif as its main design. Whatever the new design is, let just hope it will look more beautiful then the current banknotes & coins that had been circulated since 1989.

Picture: Malaysia old coin design from Dickson book collection.

Here is the announce by BNM website:

Bank Negara Malaysia is pleased to announce that a new series design of Malaysian banknotes and coins will be issued for circulation in early 2012, an exercise that is undertaken periodically every twelve years. The theme of the design of the new currency series will include features that are distinctively Malaysia. It will also have enhanced security elements in line with the latest advancements in technology for currency notes.

The new fourth series design of banknotes will be featured in the denomination of RM1, RM5, RM10, RM20 and RM100. The current design of the RM50 banknote already in circulation since December 2007 to commemorate Malaysia’s 50th Anniversary of Independence will continue to remain in circulation. The new design coins are the third in the series for the denominations of 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen and 50 sen. This new series of banknotes and coins will co-circulate with the existing series until the latter are gradually withdrawn from circulation.

In preparation for the issuance of the new currency series, Bank Negara Malaysia will be working closely with financial institutions, businesses and cash handling vendors to ensure a smooth transition to the new series. Vendors of cash handling machines will be given six months to calibrate their machines to ensure public convenience for the use of the new currency.

As part of the effort to increase public awareness on the new currency series, Bank Negara Malaysia will issue the commemorative coins for the third series and unveil the new fourth series banknotes design in the third quarter of 2011.

Source: BNM.

I think everyone in Numismatic world will be waiting for the new Malaysia Coin & banknote 2011. No actual photo release has been published by BNM. Hopefully we can see it in a news tommorow.