They are legal tender does it mean they can be use like normal money ?
S'pore's gift of gold coins for royal couple By Cheong Suk-Wai
SINGAPORE'S leaders arrived in Brunei yesterday for the wedding of Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, bringing with them a gift of unique gold coins.
Royal bride Sarah Salleh prepares to leave the throne hall after a ceremony where henna is applied on her palms. -- STEPHANIE YEOW
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew presented the prince and his bride two solid gold coins - each embossed on one side with the couple's portrait and today's date, marking the day of their wedding ceremony.
The Crown Prince, 30, will marry Dayangku Sarah Pengiran Salleh Abdul Rahaman, 17, today, capping 19 days of rituals in what has been described as Asia's wedding of the year.
Each of Singapore's gift coins is legal tender for $10,000 and is 66mm in diameter, 6.5mm thick, and weighs 340g.
The Singapore leaders presented two identical coins to the groom's father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and his wife, the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha.
Minted in Singapore, the gift underlines the warm bilateral ties, which go back to the early days of Singapore's independence when the Crown Prince's grandfather, the late Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien III, and MM Lee became firm friends.
The couple's portrait is on one side of the coins.
It is understood that the coins, along with wedding gifts from other countries, may go on display from today at the Istana Nurul Iman, the venue for the traditional royal rituals and wedding ceremonies.
This morning, the Singapore leaders will attend the royal couple's bersanding ceremony, where the newlyweds will sit on a special dais in the Indera Buana Throne Room at the Istana Nurul Iman.
Among the foreign royalty who will be present are the kings of Malaysia and Bahrain, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan and Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia. Also here for the wedding are world and regional leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his predecessor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.
Members of the Brunei royal family will form a 103-car motorcade to take part in a celebratory procession through the streets of the capital this morning, led by the Crown Prince and his bride, a student.
Hundreds of thousands of Bruneians from all walks of life are expected to line the 8km route to cheer them on.
PM Lee and Mrs Lee will fly home later this evening, while SM Goh and MM Lee and their wives will stay on for the royal banquet tomorrow.