5 yuan 1941
About This Note
This 1941 5 Yuan note from the Federal Reserve Bank of China (中國聯合準備銀行) is presented in exceptional uncirculated condition with crisp, clean printing throughout. The note features a striking Art Deco-influenced design with ornate red and cream coloring, displaying traditional Chinese architectural imagery and formal portraiture on the obverse, while the reverse showcases a symmetrical design with prominent denomination markers in both Chinese and English. As a product of China's wartime banking system during the Second Sino-Japanese War, this note represents an important piece of Chinese numismatic history with excellent eye appeal and preservation.
Common. The Federal Reserve Bank of China issued substantial quantities of currency during 1941 to support the wartime economy and monetary consolidation efforts. While notes from this issuer and period exist in varying conditions, examples in uncirculated condition are regularly encountered in the collector market. No historical evidence indicates a particularly limited print run or subsequent recall of this specific denomination, and surviving examples suggest adequate production quantities. UNC examples typically trade at modest prices consistent with common wartime Chinese currency of the period.
The Federal Reserve Bank of China (聯合準備銀行) was established in 1938 as a unified central banking authority during the Second Sino-Japanese War, consolidating the currencies of China's major regional banks. This 1941 issue reflects the Nationalist government's monetary consolidation efforts during wartime, with the note's traditional Chinese architectural imagery—featuring what appears to be a classical pagoda or temple—symbolizing cultural continuity amid national crisis. The bilingual English-Chinese inscriptions demonstrate China's engagement with international commerce and the Western-aligned banking practices of the period.
The obverse features an ornate decorative border with red/coral floral and geometric motifs framing the entire composition. On the left side stands a traditional Chinese multi-tiered pagoda or temple structure, rendered in fine line engraving, representing classical Chinese architectural heritage. The center displays prominent Chinese characters and official seals of the issuing authority. The right side features a formal portrait of a dignitary wearing traditional Chinese official dress with ceremonial headwear, shown in profile—likely a government or banking official of the period. The reverse employs perfect bilateral symmetry with a central ornamental cartouche or medallion design flanked by decorative cloud-form cartouches on both sides, containing the denomination in multiple formats. All elements are unified by the consistent red/cream color palette and intricate geometric patterning characteristic of early-20th-century Chinese banknote design.
FRONT: 中國聯合準備銀行 (Central Reserve Bank of China), 伍圓 (Five Yuan), 〈41〉 (Year 41 [of the Republic]), 0142222 (Serial Number). BACK: 中國聯合準備銀行 (Central Reserve Bank of China), 五圓 (Five Yuan), 伍圓 (Five Yuan), 5 (Arabic numeral), FIVE YUAN (English denomination). The inscription 〈41〉 refers to 1941 in the Chinese Republican calendar (Year 41 of the Republic of China).
Intaglio engraving (steel/copper plate engraving) with fine line work and cross-hatching, evident from the crisp detail reproduction, intricate border work, and the three-dimensional quality of the printed image. The multiple layers of ornamental design and security features such as fine line engraving throughout indicate professional security printer production typical of government banknote manufacture of this era. The precision and quality suggest printing by an established central bank security printer, likely under Chinese government supervision or in collaboration with international security printers of the period.
This specimen is identifiable as the Pick J73 1941 5 Yuan with serial number 0142222. The year designation 〈41〉 on the obverse confirms the 1941 issue year in the Republic of China calendar. Varieties of this note type may include different serial number prefixes or ranges, signature variants of officials authorizing the note, or minor design adjustments across print runs, though such distinctions are not definitively visible in the current imagery. The bilingual English/Chinese reverse text is standard for this issue and represents no particular variety.
