Chinese border region currency printed on Vietnamese banknote paper

Mai Ngọc Phát, Vietnam Numismatics #1 (10-2017), p.23-25

The currency of the Chinese border regions was used in the communist-controlled areas, starting from the 1930s until the end of 1949, when China expelled the Japanese and the Guomindang and established the present-day People's Republic of China. Many border regions used their own types of currency with distinct designs.

This article is about the currency used in the Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou Border Region (滇黔桂边) of China. This region issued a currency for the Chinese People's Liberation Army to spend and trade with neighboring countries, including Vietnam.

China S3719, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 1 Yuan 1949 banknote — China S3719, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 1 Yuan 1949

"In mid-1949, when the Chinese People's Liberation Army lacked the ability to print money for use in the newly acquired areas, Vietnam used a printing facility in Việt Bắc to print 510 million Liberation Yuan and sent them to assist the Chinese People's Liberation Army in meeting its military supply needs. By July 13, 1949, the entire amount had been delivered to the Chinese side as requested"^[1]

China S3719, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 1 Yuan 1949 watermark

The distinctive feature here is that these notes were printed on Vietnamese banknote paper, a straw paper type with a watermark of a five-pointed star inside a circle, containing the letters VN (Việt Nam). The front of the note is reddish-brown with an image of Mao Zedong, and the back is gray or purple. The color scheme is simple, with only two colors for both sides of the note. The banknote also bears propaganda slogans supporting the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The design of this currency is less elaborate than the one of the Vietnamese banknotes in the same period.

Vietnam P-20, 10 Dong 1948 banknote — Vietnam P-20, 10 Dong 1948

After years of research, we have contacted several Chinese collectors, and so far, only two denominations have been found: One Yuan and Five Yuan. These are rare samples of foreign currency printed on Vietnamese banknote paper before the establishment of the State Bank.

China S3720, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 5 Yuan 1949 banknote — China S3720, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 5 Yuan 1949

During the early revolutionary days, two neighboring countries, Vietnam and China, both faced certain difficulties in finance, infrastructure, and currency printing equipment. Vietnam's generous and goodwill assistance holds great significance, marking an important historical period for both countries, especially in the history of printing and issuing currency.

China S3720, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 5 Yuan 1949 specimen — China S3720, Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou 5 Yuan 1949 SPECIMEN

[1] Lịch sử Việt Nam (Vietnamese History), Volume 10. NXB Khoa học xã hội, Vietnam, 2017.