Brunei P-41 (W41) 1 Dollar 2024 UNC Polymer—Blue—Sultan—Flower—Capital Cityscape

Brunei's first polymer banknote series — issued in 2024 under Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's longest-reigning and wealthiest monarchs — arrives in a striking deep blue, celebrating the tiny oil-rich sultanate's natural beauty and royal identity on a durable, modern substrate.

Front

• Colors: dark and light blue dominant engraving; multicolor underprint accents
• Portrait: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at right
• Center motif: Bunga Simpur (Dillenia suffruticosa) — Brunei's national flower
• Serial numbers: Vertical and horizontal ascending
• Inscriptions: Latin script — NEGARA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM / SATU DOLAR BRUNEI (One Brunei Dollar)
• Signatures: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (HB)

Back

• Colors: blue print dominant; multicolor underprint
• Main motif: Aerial view of Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital
• Inscriptions: Latin and Jawi scripts — نڬارا بروني دارالسلام / ONE BRUNEI DOLLAR / BANGAR SERI BEGAWAN / 2024

Other Characteristics

• Varieties: P-41 2024 — this note
• Catalog numbers: P-41; TBB B306; Numista N#566314
• Watermark: Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
• Composition: Polymer (plastic)
• Size: 141 × 69 mm
• Issuing entity: Country of Brunei Darussalam (Negara Brunei Darussalam)
• Demonetized: No — legal tender
• Signatures: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (HB)
• Currency: Brunei Dollar (BND) / Ringgit (1967–date)
• Official language: Malay

About Brunei

• Origin of name: From Barunai, possibly derived from the Sanskrit Varunai ("seafarers") or from a local word meaning "that's it" — legend holds that the first settlers exclaimed Baru nah! upon finding the land
• Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan (city pop. ~100,000; metro ~280,000)
  • Origin of name: Named in 1970 after Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III — Bandar means "port/town" in Malay; Seri Begawan is a royal honorific meaning "the radiant lord"
• Population: ~450,000 (UN 2024) — similar to Wyoming or Malta
• Area: 5,765 km² (2,226 mi²) — similar to Delaware or Luxembourg
• GDP per capita (PPP): ~$78,000 (IMF 2024) — among the highest in Asia
• Main exports: Crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), refined petroleum products
• Borders: Malaysia (surrounds Brunei on all land sides); South China Sea to the north
• Official/spoken language: Malay; English widely used; Chinese dialects spoken by the ethnic Chinese community
• Ethnicities: Malay (~66%), Chinese (~10%), indigenous Dayak and other groups (~24%)
• Memberships: United Nations (1984); ASEAN (1984 — founding member of the post-independence era); Commonwealth of Nations (1984); OIC (1984); APEC (1989);
• Sovereignty:
  • Bruneian Empire (c. 7th–15th century) — Hindu-Buddhist kingdom; converted to Islam ~15th century
  • Sultanate of Brunei (1368–date) — one of the oldest continuous sultanates in Southeast Asia; at its peak controlled much of Borneo and the Philippines
  • British protectorate (1888–1984) — retained internal self-governance; oil discovered 1929
  • Japanese occupation (1941–1945)
  • Resumed British protectorate (1945–1984)
  • Full independence (1 January 1984) — Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah declared independence; this note issued during his reign

Brunei Unfiltered

• Zero income tax: Brunei has no personal income tax — citizens pay nothing, funded entirely by oil and gas revenues
• World's largest palace: The Sultan's residence, Istana Nurul Iman, has 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, and a 110-car garage
• Alcohol ban: Completely banned for Muslims and cannot be sold publicly; non-Muslims may import limited quantities for personal use
• Sharia penal law: Implemented in 2019, making Brunei one of the few countries to do so in the modern era
• Car culture: One of the highest car ownership rates per capita in the world — public transport is minimal
• Split territory: Brunei is almost entirely surrounded by Malaysia's Sarawak state and is divided into two non-contiguous pieces of land
• Sovereign wealth: The Brunei Investment Agency is estimated to manage over $40 billion USD

The Sultan on the Banknote

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has ruled Brunei since 1967 — making him one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs. He is also the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Defence simultaneously. His personal fortune, largely derived from Brunei's oil wealth, has been estimated in the tens of billions. He appears on every Brunei banknote series, a constant presence across decades of issues — and now, for the first time, on a polymer note.

Brunei's First Polymer Series

The 2024 issue marks a historic transition for Brunei's currency: the move from paper to polymer substrate. Polymer notes last significantly longer than paper, resist moisture and tearing, and incorporate advanced security features. For collectors, first-issue polymer notes from any country represent a milestone — and Brunei's 2024 series is no exception. The 1 Dollar is the entry point to this landmark set.

The Bunga Simpur

The Bunga Simpur (Dillenia suffruticosa) is Brunei's national flower — a bright yellow bloom found throughout the rainforests of Borneo. Its appearance on the obverse alongside the Sultan gives this note a distinctly Bruneian identity, rooting the currency in the country's natural heritage even as it embraces modern polymer technology.

Own this piece of Brunei's monetary history — the first polymer dollar from one of the world's most secretive and oil-wealthy sultanates, in flawless UNC condition.