The Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur, in the central bank’s words a symbol of Malaysians’ faith in democracy, stands on this 1976 5 sen: Malaysia’s first coin series carried the same design on all five denominations, from 1 to 50 sen.

Beside the building are the crescent and thirteen-pointed star from the national flag: the crescent stands for Islam as the official religion, the star’s points for the thirteen states of the federation. The other side shows a large numeral of value framed by hibiscus blossoms and the inscription «MALAYSIA». Both designs are by British medallist Geoffrey Colley, whose initials «GC» appear on the Parliament side.

The series was issued from 1967 to 1988 and replaced in 1989 by the second series with objects of traditional culture. The 1976 mintage of the 5 sen was 65,658,870 coins.

Grade F-VF: the coin has circulated, with even, noticeable wear on the raised parts of the relief, yet the main details and legends remain legible. For a Malaysia collection it is an honest circulated example of the Parliament series, a coin that truly passed through people’s hands.

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