10 yuan 1942

Common. Despite the catalog 2016 value of $225 for UNC notes, current eBay market prices for UNC examples range from $35–$90, with several listings clustered in the $35–$60 range, indicating steady but not exceptional demand. The print run was substantial for a wartime issue, and multiple examples circulate regularly in the collector market. The note is not scarce or rare in any grade.

Issued during the turbulent final years of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), this note reflects the Central Bank of China's continued monetary authority from its Chungking headquarters while the Japanese occupied much of eastern China. The reverse design depicting a military trumpeter (or soldier with surveying instrument) at the Great Wall symbolizes Chinese resistance and national fortitude during the war, while the bilingual English/Chinese inscriptions underscore the note's use in international commerce and the Central Bank's modern, westernized institutional standing.

The obverse features a left-facing profile portrait of Sun Yat-sen (founder of the Republic of China) in an oval frame, dressed in traditional formal Chinese attire, flanked by ornate decorative borders with traditional floral and geometric motifs in the corners. A central purple and lavender rosette design is framed by red square seals bearing Chinese characters, with red serial numbers displayed above. The reverse depicts a heroic military figure (soldier or trumpeter) standing prominently on the Great Wall of China in a forward-looking stance, with visible watchtowers and fortifications extending into a mountainous landscape. The denomination '10' appears in a decorative box on the right, with 'TEN YUAN' and 'CURRENCY' text below, and the printer's attribution to Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, London, appears at the base.

Front side: '中央銀行' (Central Bank), '國拾' (Ten Yuan), '中華民國二十三年印製' (Printed in the 23rd year of the Republic of China [1934, by the traditional calendar system]), serial number 'ON441757' (appearing twice in red). Back side: 'THE CENTRAL BANK OF CHINA', 'TEN YUAN', 'CURRENCY', 'NATIONAL', 'ASST GEN MANAGER', 'GENERAL MANAGER', 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY LIMITED, LONDON' (printer attribution), 'Jim Yuan' (signature).

Intaglio engraving (recess printing), executed by Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, London. The fine line cross-hatching, detailed geometric patterns, intricate architectural rendering of the Great Wall, and crisp portrait work are characteristic of high-quality steel engraving. Multiple signature lines for authorization are present on the reverse, a standard security feature of Central Bank of China issues from this period.

This example is catalogued as Pick 245d, indicating it is a specific variety within the 1942 10 yuan issue. The Chungking overprint is noted in the catalog reference. The serial number prefix 'ON' and the signature 'Jim Yuan' are documented features of this variety. No major printing varieties (watermark changes, color shifts, or signature variations) are evident from the visual analysis of this particular specimen.