Collectors are always on the hunt for the rarest items. Last year, a man purchased an extremely rare RM1 note with a serial number consisting solely of the number 8 for RM1,000. Prior to that, a Jeram State Assemblyman was willing to pay RM3,000 for an RM1 note bearing the signature of the late Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman, the sixth Governor of Bank Negara.
Speaking of rare banknotes, did you know that Malaysia actually has a banknote that is considered to be one of the top three largest in the world? Apart from the size, let’s find out what makes this specific banknote so special:
Earlier this week, the BankNoteWorld TikTok channel posted a video showcasing the three largest banknotes in the world. Taking the third spot is Fiji’s FJD$2,000 note, which was issued in the early 2000s to celebrate the turn of the millennium. Coming in second place is the ₱100,000 note from the Philippines. The note was issued in 1998 to mark the country’s independence from more than 300 years of Spanish rule. The images on the banknote feature historic leaders and scenes.
Finally, taking the top spot for the largest banknote in the world is our very own RM600 note. The note measures 370 mm x 220 mm, and unlike the other two mentioned banknotes, this one was issued more recently, in 2017, to celebrate Malaysia’s 60th Independence Day. The front of the RM600 note features images of former kings, while the back features an image of the signing of the Federation of Malaysia’s independence agreement.
What these three largest banknotes have in common is that they are all commemorative notes, meaning that only a few thousand were issued, making them extremely rare. According to the Bank Negara Malaysia website, the RM600 note was originally valued at RM1,700 each, but today, some are reselling it for up to RM55,000 on eBay. The cheapest one we could find was on Shopee for RM6,500, but it was already sold to a buyer.
The viral TikTok video attracted the attention of many Malaysians with most of them being surprised that our country even has a RM600 note. Some, possibly collectors, were curious about where they could get their hands on these rare notes while others were just thrilled that Malaysia holds the record for the largest banknote in the world. If you’re wondering whether you can actually buy anything with the RM600 note, it serves no purpose other than being a commemorative and rare collectable item.
Watch the video below:
@banknoteworld What kind of wallet you need to carry these large banknotes? We are having huge sale! 🥳 #malaysia #ringgit #philippines #peso #fiji #banknoteworld #moneycollection #banknotecollection #collectiblebanknotes #moneycollector #currencymarket #colletciblecurrency
Sources: TikTok, Bank Negara Malaysia, Shopee, eBay
