1 dollar 1931

Common. eBay market evidence strongly supports this assessment: recent comparable sales in PMG 58 grade achieved only $22.50-$23.50 (2024), and even the higher PMG 66 example sold for $57 (2025). These low market prices indicate steady supply and regular trading volume. The Kwangtung Provincial Bank issued substantial quantities of this 1931 One Dollar note, and survival rates in circulated and near-mint grades remain adequate. While the note has historical significance, it is not scarce or rare in the current collector market.

This note was issued during the Second Chinese Republic (民國二十年 - Year 20 of the Republic, corresponding to 1931), when provincial banks maintained significant currency-issuing authority before centralization efforts by the Nationalist government. The Kwangtung (Guangdong) Provincial Bank was a major financial institution in southern China, and this note's bilingual English-Chinese design reflects the international commercial standards of the treaty port era. The depicted bank building represents the institutional legitimacy and Western-influenced modernization aspirations of the Kwangtung banking system during this turbulent pre-war period.

The obverse features a formal male portrait in classical oval frame positioning, likely representing a bank official or national figure, rendered in fine line engraving characteristic of ABNC work. The portrait is positioned on the right side with ornamental corner medallions containing Chinese characters in all four corners, typical of Chinese currency design conventions of the period. The reverse displays a symmetrical multi-story institutional building with classical architectural styling in the center, flanked by decorative dragon or mythical creature designs on the left and right borders—traditional Chinese symbolic elements combined with Western architectural representation. The bilingual design (English text on reverse, Chinese on obverse) reflects the treaty port commercial environment and international standing of the Kwangtung Provincial Bank.

FRONT SIDE: Central inscription reads '中央銀行廣東省' (Central Bank of Guangdong Province [note: actually Kwangtung Provincial Bank]), '民國二十年' (Year 20 of the Republic/1931), '壹圓' (One Dollar). Serial numbers 'CB927962' appear in top corners. BACK SIDE: English inscriptions state 'THE KWANGTUNG PROVINCIAL BANK' at top, 'PROMISES TO PAY THE BEARER ON DEMAND AT ITS OFFICE HERE' in center, 'ONE DOLLAR' and 'LEGAL CURRENCY' as denomination statements. Printer attribution reads 'AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY'. Serial number 'CB927962' appears in bottom corners with 'NO' prefix markers. Year '1931' is printed on reverse.

Intaglio engraving (line engraving/steel plate engraving) produced by the American Bank Note Company (ABNC), one of the world's premier security printers. The visual analysis confirms fine line engraving throughout, complex ornamental border patterns, detailed portrait and architectural engraving, and security features typical of ABNC's high-security banknote production standards. The multicolor printing visible in the dominant colors (red/pink on obverse, green on reverse with cream/beige underprints) indicates polychrome intaglio production with multiple passes.

This specimen corresponds to Pick S2421d, identified with signatures D-E-F per the Rietmuller/Schjoth (S/M) catalog designation #K56-1d. The serial number prefix 'CB' appears consistent with Kwangtung Provincial Bank's serial numbering conventions. The specific signature combination (D-E-F) represents one of the known varieties for this 1931 denomination. No overprints or significant printing variations are evident in this example, indicating it is a standard issue of the main printing run.