10 dong 1955
About This Note
This is a striking example of South Vietnam's early currency, the 10 Dong note from 1955 issued by the National Bank of Vietnam. The note displays vibrant pink and magenta coloring with exceptional engraving detail, featuring an ornate circular white medallion on the obverse and a serene landscape with traditional Vietnamese sailing vessels and a large tree on the reverse. In UNC condition, this note exhibits minimal wear with sharp, clear printing and well-preserved fine line work throughout, making it an excellent example of mid-20th century Vietnamese banknote design.
Common. Early South Vietnamese banknotes from 1955, while historically significant, were produced in substantial quantities for circulation during this period of monetary establishment. The note's presence in UNC condition reflects careful preservation rather than extreme scarcity. No documented print run restrictions, recall events, or short-lived issuing periods apply to this Pick number. Standard market pricing for similar examples supports a common classification despite the note's historical interest.
This note represents the early period of the State of Vietnam (1954-1955), issued during the transitional period following French colonial rule and preceding the establishment of the Republic of Vietnam. The imagery—depicting traditional boats and rural landscapes—reflects the nation's agrarian heritage and connection to Vietnam's waterways, while the prominent National Bank of Vietnam inscriptions assert the newly independent state's monetary sovereignty during a period of significant political reorganization in Southeast Asia.
The obverse features an ornate decorative design centered on a large circular white medallion or moon-like emblem, possibly representing unity or sovereignty, surrounded by intricate geometric guilloche patterns in pink and magenta. Dragon or phoenix-like mythological creatures adorn the corners, reflecting traditional Vietnamese and broader East Asian aesthetic conventions. The reverse depicts a peaceful rural scene with traditional Vietnamese junk-rigged sailing vessels on a body of water, a prominent spreading tree in the left-center composition, and mountains or hills in the background—imagery evoking Vietnam's maritime heritage and agricultural character. Both sides feature ornamental borders with floral and dragon motifs rendered in fine line engraving. Signatures of the Inspector General and Central Treasurer appear below the central design on the obverse.
FRONT: 'NGAN HANG QUOC-GIA' (National Bank), 'VIET-NAM' (Vietnam), 'MUOI DONG' (Ten Dong), '10' (denomination), 'U3' (series designation), 'TONG-KIEM-TRA' (Inspector General), 'THU-QUY TRUNG-UONG' (Central Treasurer), 'HINH LUAT PHAT KHO-SAI NHUNG KE NAO GIA-MAO GIAY BAC DO-NGAN-HANG QUOC-GIA VIET-NAM PHAT RA' (Legal punishment for counterfeiting notes of the National Bank of Vietnam). BACK: 'NGAN HANG QUOC-GIA' (National Bank), 'VIET-NAM' (Vietnam), 'MUOI DONG' (Ten Dong), '10' (denomination in corners).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving/recess printing), characteristic of the security banknote printing standards of the 1950s. The note exhibits fine guilloche patterns, intricate scenic detail work, and precise line engraving throughout, typical of professional security printers of the era. The catalog reference to 'fine printing' in the visual analysis confirms high-quality intaglio production, likely executed by a European security printer contracted by the National Bank of Vietnam, though specific printer attribution is not definitively documented in standard catalogs for this early South Vietnamese issue.
This specific example bears series designation 'U3' and serial number '305747', indicating it belongs to the U3 series of the 1955 issue. The catalog reference (Pick P-3) and visual analysis confirm this as the standard 10 Dong denomination from 1955 with watermark, as distinct from later printings without watermark (referenced as Pick P-4 in the external catalog note). No signature varieties or overprint variations are apparent in this example, suggesting it represents the standard printing of the U3 series variant.
