Niewmismatic Error Coins

Who Chose The Design Of The Parliament Building?
The Malaysia first issue of coinage was released on 12th.June.1967.Five denominations i.e.One (1)Cent on copper planchet,Five (5)Cents,Ten (10)Cents,Twenty (20) Cents and Fifty (50) Cents on cupro-nickel. All five denominations bearing a common design.


The obverse of the coins featured the Parliament House of Malaysia,symbolising Malaysia's faith in democracy,a crescent moon symbolising Islam the official religion of the country and 13 pointed star representing Malaysia and her 13 component states.


The reverse depicts a stylised design representing the hibiscus (the national flower) and bears the denomination,the world "MALAYSIA" and the year 1967.

Why our first series of coins featured the Parliament House of Malaysia? Who chose the design of the Parliament building?

A national competition was held in February 1966 to choose a set of five designs for the new coins.

Trial Pattern Coins

A set of designs featuring proboscis monkey (big nose monkey),the Malayan tapir,the pangolin (Armadillo),the kijang (Mousedeer) and the Argus Pheasant (Peacock) were chosen.Some proofs were minted at Royal Mint in England.

When the Governor Tun Ismail showed this set of sample coins to the Prime Minister,Tunku Abdul Rahman,Tunku said,"No,this won't do. People will think we eat them.Why not have the picture of the Parliament building on the coins,since we're a parliamentary democracy?",he suggested. This is how the Parliament building came to be on the coins.

When it came to designing the coin,this posed some difficulties.The shape of the design is such that it left a lot of empty space.So a crescent moon and a star were added to balance it.