100 yuan 1980
Market Prices
39 salesAbout This Note
This is a 1980 People's Bank of China 100 yuan banknote in uncirculated condition, featuring a striking multicolored design with four historical Chinese leaders in profile on the obverse and a dramatic mountain landscape on the reverse. The note exhibits the exceptional engraving quality characteristic of early PRC currency, with complex geometric patterns and fine line work throughout, and the UNC grade commands strong collector interest given the historically significant subject matter and the note's role as part of China's post-reform currency modernization.
Common. Despite the historical significance of the subject matter, this Pick 889a 1980 100 yuan note is readily available in the collector market. eBay transaction history shows consistent sales activity from 2010 through 2025, with UNC specimens regularly trading between $120-$160, and lower grades available for $25-$60. The large print run and continued availability across multiple decades indicates this is a standard, commonly encountered note rather than a scarcity.
Issued in 1980 following China's economic reforms, this 100 yuan note commemorates four great leaders of modern China through their portraiture on the obverse. The reverse depicts mountains at Ding Gang Sha, the starting point of the Long March—a seminal event in Chinese Communist history—reflecting the ideological significance and nationalist themes that characterized PRC currency design during the early reform era under Deng Xiaoping's leadership.
The obverse features four male portraits rendered in detailed grayscale engraving, arranged in profile facing left, representing four major Chinese revolutionary and political leaders (likely Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and other contemporary figures of significance to the PRC). The background is dominated by intricate geometric patterns in purple, blue, and orange, with ornamental flourishes framing the design. The reverse depicts a dramatic landscape of Ding Gang Sha with tall mountain peaks and forested slopes rendered in fine line engraving, with green and blue coloration dominating the scenic composition. The left border features national emblems and ornamental floral designs. Both sides employ sophisticated security engraving techniques with complex background patterns and fine detail work throughout.
Front side: '中国人民银行' (People's Bank of China), '100' (denomination in Arabic numerals), '壹佰圆' (One hundred yuan in Chinese characters), Serial number 'CW81549786'. Back side: 'ZHONGGUO RENMIN YINHANG' (People's Bank of China in pinyin romanization), '100' (denomination), 'YIBAI YUAN' (One hundred yuan in pinyin), '1980' (year of issue), '中国人民银行' (People's Bank of China), '壹佰圆' (One hundred yuan), and additional printing/production reference text.
Intaglio engraving (copperplate printing), which is standard for this series of PRC currency. The visual analysis confirms the characteristic fine line work, complex geometric background patterns, and detailed portraiture consistent with high-security banknote production. The 1980 series was produced by the Chinese government printing bureaus under PBOC authority, utilizing advanced intaglio methods with multicolor printing to achieve the observed background colors.
This note (CW81549786 visible on obverse) appears to be from the standard 1980 issue. Pick catalog lists this as P-889a, indicating there are likely variants (P-889b, etc.) within the 1980 100 yuan series. Varieties for this series typically involve different serial number prefixes, signature combinations, or printing location variations. The serial number prefix 'CW' and the specific printing characteristics should be documented for variety classification purposes, though without comparative reference materials the specific sub-variety designation cannot be definitively confirmed from the visual analysis alone.
