Stomper Lau Lup gets special Valentine message — from this $2 note
A diner was pleasantly surprised after he noticed the serial number on a $2 note and realised it could carry multiple meanings.
Stomper Lau Lup said he received the $2 note as change from a mee rebus stall at Geylang East Market and Food Centre on Feb 22.
According to him, the note's serial number 9BH1444 immediately caught his attention – for the wrong reason.
"At first, I thought it was inauspicious as the glaring 4444 sounds like 'die' four times in both Cantonese and Mandarin," Lau Lup told Stomp.
In Chinese numerology, the number four is often avoided because it sounds like the word for death. As such, the fourth floor of a building is sometimes skipped or renumbered in Chinese-speaking regions.
However, Lau Lup, who said he recently learned about cognitive restructuring during his counselling studies, decided to look at the note more optimistically.
"Considering the recent Valentine's Day as well as the upcoming Chinese Valentine's Day on Chap Goh Mei (March 3), the serial number and alphabets became more meaningful and poignant," he added.
He interpreted the letters BH as "Best Husband", while noting that the repeated numbers can also be interpreted positively.
"It can be interpreted as a Valentine wish: 久久一世世世世, which means long-lasting love in Chinese," he explained.
Lau Lup feels that the denomination itself adds to the symbolism: "As two represents a union between two lovers, the Valentine message appearing on a $2 note is also meaningful."
The Stomper said he enjoys interpreting serial numbers on banknotes, and adds such notes to his special collection of international dollar notes.
"The tendency of finding interesting serial numbers is especially high during Chinese New Year," the seasoned collector told Stomp.
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