100 dong 1951
About This Note
This is a VF-grade 100 Dong note from 1951 issued by the National Bank of Vietnam during the early Democratic Republic period. The note displays the characteristic cream/beige background with blue-green intaglio printing, featuring a portrait of Ho Chi Minh on the obverse and an industrial manufacturing scene on the reverse—imagery reflective of the post-war reconstruction era. Despite seven decades of age, the note shows good preservation with minimal damage, clear line work, and well-defined design elements, making it a solid example of early North Vietnamese currency.
Common. The 100 Dong denomination from 1951 (Pick-62b) was issued in substantial quantities as part of the standard circulating currency of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. No evidence of limited print runs, early recall, or extraordinary scarcity exists for this note. VF-grade examples appear with reasonable frequency in the collector market.
This note was issued during the formative years of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1951), shortly after the Việt Minh victory at Điện Biên Phủ and the subsequent Geneva Accords. The iconography reflects the revolutionary priorities of the new state: Ho Chi Minh's portrait on the obverse emphasizes the nationalist leader's prominence, while the reverse's depiction of a bomb factory and industrial workers celebrates the nation's manufacturing capabilities and socialist labor ideals during the early reconstruction period.
The obverse features a three-quarter portrait of Ho Chi Minh positioned on the right side, rendered with fine intaglio line work showing his characteristic long beard and dignified expression. The portrait is framed within an elaborate decorative composition featuring a central ornamental cartouche displaying the denomination '100' in Vietnamese numerals, with a star emblem at the top center within an additional decorative frame. The reverse presents a detailed intaglio scene of industrial production—workers and machinery within a factory or bomb-manufacturing facility, enclosed in a rectangular frame with ornate borders. A circular vignette in the lower right contains architectural or cultural imagery. All elements are rendered in fine-line engraving with intricate crosshatching and background patterns typical of security printing.
Front side: 'VIỆT NAM DÂN CHỦ CỘNG HÒA' (Democratic Republic of Vietnam); '和共主民南越' (Chinese: Democratic Republic of Vietnam); 'MIỆT TRÂM ĐỒNG' (One Hundred Dong); '元 佰 圭' (Chinese: One Hundred); Serial number 'AB 43352802'. Back side: 'NGÂN HÀNG QUỐC GIA VIỆT NAM' (State Bank of Vietnam); Denomination '100' appears in multiple ornamental cartouches; Reference marking '1051'.
Intaglio engraving (line engraving/taille-douce), as evidenced by the fine, precise line work visible throughout both sides, the complex crosshatching patterns, and the characteristic depth and texture of the design elements. The note was produced by the State Bank of Vietnam's printing facilities; while specific printer attribution for this Pick number varies by variant, notes from this era were typically produced under government control without external commercial security printer involvement.
The observed example displays serial number 'AB 43352802', indicating a specific print batch from the 1951 emission. Varieties of this Pick number may include different serial number prefixes (AB, AC, AD, etc.) and potentially different signature combinations or date variants. The notation '1051' on the reverse may indicate a batch or printing date reference. Without access to comprehensive variety catalogs specific to North Vietnamese currency, confirmation of this example's specific variety designation would require consultation of detailed Pick or IBNS records.
