Did you know that before Malaysia 1st Series coin there was a Malaysia's design pattern set ready to use to the production?
It was auctioned in the CAA 6/2015 auction in Singapore on October 3, 2015, and was sold at SGD241,500.
The undeveloped Malaysian Coins 1966 scheme was created for the 1966 National Coinage Competition organized by the Arts Council of Malaysia on behalf of Bank Negara Malaysia.
The following is an excerpt from the 1966 newspaper about Malaysia's 1966 Coins which were not issued:
Announcement of the Winners of the National Coin Design Competition 1966
Mr. Chong Yum Fatt from Jesselton (Kota Kinabalu) defeated 44 local artists throughout Malaysia in the National Coin-Design Competition by Bank Negara and won $ 3,000. The second place that took home $ 2,000 was won by a 19-year-old religious teacher from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, En. Mohamed Abu Bakar. Third place totaling $ 1,000 was won by En. Tushar K. Paul from Melaka.
Mr. Chong won the competition with Tengiling (Anteater) design, Brunei Monkey, Tapir, Jungle Fowl, and Kijang (Barking Deer).
Mr. Hashim Al-Bakri, one of the judges in the competition, said: "Despite the high-quality designs, most of the artists who participated forgot it was made for the coin. The judges gave scores based on the design, suitability of design technical, suitable for Malaysia and the consistency of 5 designs received ".
Other judges in the competition were Governor of Bank Negara Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali, Honorary Curator of the National Museum of J.A Bullock, Professor Ungku Aziz, and En. A.J Dowling from Royal Mint London.
(Source: The Straits Times, February 27, 1966)
This news is from this website: http://www.malaysiancoin.com . Do visit his site if you understand Malay.
Why is this coin design not used?
In an article written by the late Datuk Mohd Kassim Haji Ali in the 4th issue of "Coin Digest" magazine published by Taisei Stamps and Coins, Singapore. The late Datuk Kassim told about the fate of Malaysia's 1966 Symbol when a representative from the National Bank met Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman to show the pattern of the coins.
"No, this should not be," said the Prime Minister after looking at the design of the coin.
"People will think we eat all these beasts because we are a parliamentary democracy, why not take a picture of the parliament building to be used as the design of all the new coins, see, there is a good parliamentary picture on this 'Parliament' cigarette pack.
Thus, the design of the new coin was not used, Malaysia then officially used its Parliamentary Coins on 12 June 1967.
Wonderful article... I noted somethings down definitely gonna research on them