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Sarawak banknotes 1 Dollar note 1940

Sarawak banknotes Dollar note
Sarawak banknotes 1 Dollar note 1940 Charles Vyner Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak
Sarawak paper money Dollar

Banknotes of Sarawak 1 Dollar note 1940

The One Dollar banknote (P-23) was issued on January 1, 1940. The obverse features portrait of Sir Charles Vyner Brooke. Notice that Chinese and Jawi languages were used to describe one dollar. The reverse features the Coat of Arms of the Sarawak State.  "Satu" is inscribed in the Malay language on the right, which means "one".  These notes were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. Ltd, London.

Sarawak banknotes - Sarawak paper money
1929-1940 Issue

1 Dollar      5 Dollars      10 Dollars      50 Dollars



Sarawak located at Borneo Island is one of the two Malaysian states in East Malaysia. It was once governed by the Brunei Sultanate in the early of 19th century. Upon arrival of Sir James Brooke in Sarawak, he was appointed as Rajah (Ruler) of Sarawak by Sultan of Brunei and he founded the White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak.

The earliest banknote issued by Sarawak State was by the Sarawak Government Treasury between 1894 and 1917. They carried portrait of Sir Charles Johnson Brooke, 2nd White Rajah of Sarawak whom succeeded from his uncle, Sir James Brooke. The subsequent same notes which also issued the Sarawak Government Treasury between 1919 and 1922 were carried portrait of Sir Charles Vyner Brooke (26 September 1874 – 9 May 1963), son of Sir Charles Johnson Brooke and also the third and last White Rajah of Sarawak.

In 1929, the Government of Sarawak issued a new type of notes to replace those notes issued by Sarawak Government Treasury. These new notes carried the portrait of Sir Charles Vyner Brooke. The Sarawak notes were issued in denomination of $1, $5, $10, $25, $50 and $100. They continued to be legal tender until Japanese Occupation in 1942.