I was born in Singapore. That year was Min-guo Year 36 (民国36年 36th Year of Republic of China).

I had the impression of coins we used in Singapore when I was about 3 years old. When my grandma gave me five cents about sixty years ago, they were five copper coins. Although they were about 2-3 cm, they were very big in my tiny hand.

After the Second World War, the British Government was back to Singapore and made it the British settlements. The coins circulated then included coins of East India Company, Commissioners of Currency Malaya, Malaya and British Borneo and Straits Settlements.

The coins were in the shape of square and round with different sizes. When we used those copper coins, we did not bother their shapes or size. We took each coin as one cent.

Our customers included Malays and Indians. They even accepted copper coins from China.

We seldom used those round coins with a square hold in the centre. The Chinese family used to expel the evil spirits from children. The parents tied a string through the square hole of the coin and let children to wear on their necks.

There were more copper coins of Qing Dynasty (清朝) than those of Min-guo (民国). Although it was indicated those coins were TEN CASH each, we took it as one cent.

I took the five cents given by grandma when I was three years old as treasure. But when I was about six years old, I ever gave ten those coins to a beggar. He was angry and threw the coins in the drain. I could buy a package of Marie Biscuits with five coins and the biscuits made me enjoyed for a week. I did not understand why the beggar was unhappy with the ten coins! He did not come to our shop anymore after that.

Jia Qing Coin (嘉庆通宝) of Qing Dynasty	Qian Long Coin (乾隆通宝) of Qing Dynasty
Xuan Tong Copper Coin of Qing Dynasty 宣统年造 (已酉)	Guang Xu Copper Coin of Qing Dynasty 光绪年造 (户部)
Guang Xu Copper Coin of Qing Dynasty 江南省造 (乙已)	Min-Guo Coin 中华民国 开国纪念币