A Hougang hawker was left puzzled after receiving a Singapore $10 note featuring a rather unusual version of the country’s first president, Yusof Ishak.
The incident happened on Aug 2, 2026, when 42-year-old hawker Zhang Xiaohai was handling cashier duties at 21 Seafood, a zichar stall in Hougang. While checking the cash received from a customer, he noticed that something looked distinctly wrong with the note.
The portrait of Yusof Ishak appeared to have been altered, with scratches around the eyes and the area beneath the nose. The markings made it look as though the former president had been given an unexpected makeover.
Zhang initially suspected that he might have received a counterfeit banknote. However, he said the note did not feel different from an ordinary $10 note, and counterfeit currency is relatively uncommon in Singapore. As a result, he did not conduct a detailed examination at the time.
Hawker Thought It Could Be A Prank
The stall later shared photographs and a video of the unusual banknote on Xiaohongshu on Aug 27, bringing attention to the strange-looking portrait.
Zhang subsequently told Lianhe Zaobao that, after looking at the note more closely, he felt it was probably a prank rather than an attempt to pass off fake Singapore currency.
The stall’s owner, identified only as Mr Guo, also did not immediately take action over the incident. However, several weeks later, he remembered the unusual note and decided to report it to the police.
When he approached the police station on Aug 27, he was advised to have the banknote authenticated by a bank first.
Mr Guo then brought the $10 note to both OCBC and DBS on the same day. Staff at the banks examined the currency and confirmed that it was a genuine Singapore banknote.
The strange markings were not evidence of counterfeiting. Instead, the surface of the note had apparently been scratched with a sharp object.
Owner Keeps Note As Unusual Memento
Although OCBC offered to exchange the damaged banknote, Mr Guo decided against replacing it.
Instead, he chose to keep the unusual $10 note as a memento of the bizarre incident.
The story subsequently attracted amused reactions online, with some Xiaohongshu users joking about the altered portrait.
One commenter remarked that Yusof Ishak appeared to look “a bit surprised” by the treatment.
Others went further by asking whether the stall was willing to sell the modified banknote. One netizen reportedly offered five times its face value, which would amount to $50 for the $10 note.
However, intentionally damaging Singapore currency can carry legal consequences.
Under Section 23(1) of Singapore’s Currency Act, a person who mutilates or destroys a currency note or coin can be fined up to $2,000 upon conviction.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore also states that mutilated notes and coins generally have no value, although it may award value at its discretion and subject to certain criteria.
People who receive damaged or mutilated Singapore currency can bring the notes or coins to a commercial bank where they hold an account for assessment.
In this case, however, the damaged-looking $10 note turned out to be perfectly genuine — leaving the Hougang hawker with an unusual piece of Singapore currency and a story that proved far more amusing than alarming.