The coins of the Brunei dollar are part of the physical form of current Brunei currency, the

Brunei dollar The Brunei dollar ( sign: B$, Malay: ''ringgit Brunei'', currency code: ''BND''), has been the currency of the Sultanate of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from othe ...

. They have changed through time along with

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...

itself. A British protectorate from 1888 until 1983, it is currently an independent member of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...

First Series

The decision was taken to adopt a native Bruneian currency called the

(or ''ringgit Brunei'' in

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

), which is divided into 100 cents (or ''sen'' in Malay). The portrait of the then Sultan,

Omar Ali Saifuddin III Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 4 June 1950 until his abdication from the throne on 5 October 1967. He was also Brunei's fir ...

(ruled 1950–1967), is depicted on the obverse. The reverse of these coins, and all subsequent series, was designed by

Christopher Ironside Christopher Ironside OBE, FRBS (11 July 1913, London – 13 July 1992, Winchester, Hampshire) was an English painter and coin designer, particularly known for the reverse sides of the new British coins issued on decimalisation in 1971. Life ...

OBE. The coins issued were 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sen.

Second Series

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...

acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his father in late 1967. The title of the Sultan is given as ''SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH I''. The same denominations as the 1967 coinage were retained and are still being struck. Commemorative coins of $1 through to $1,000 were struck in this period.

Third Series

The title of the Sultan was changed to ''SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH''. In 1977, coins were struck with ''I'' and without ''I'' in the Sultan's title. Brunei became a fully independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations on January 1, 1984.

Fourth Series

An entirely new portrait depicting the Sultan facing forward was adopted. The title of the Sultan is now given as ''SULTAN HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH''.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Brunei Currency and Monetary Board