100 dong 1955
About This Note
An exceptional uncirculated example of the 1955 South Vietnamese 100 dong note (Pick P-8), featuring crisp, sharp printing throughout with no visible wear or handling. The front displays an agricultural theme with a farmer operating a tractor—reflecting the post-war reconstruction focus of the newly independent South Vietnam—while the reverse showcases an ornate phoenix medallion surrounded by classical decorative flourishes. The red serial number BB391899 and multiple Vietnamese-language inscriptions are clearly rendered, making this a compelling specimen of mid-20th century Vietnamese currency design.
Common. The 1955 100 dong (Pick P-8) remains a readily available note in the Vietnamese currency market. While it represents an important historical period in South Vietnamese numismatics, the note was produced in substantial quantities and circulated widely. UNC examples are moderately available through major dealers and auction channels, commanding modest premiums over circulated grades but not rare or scarce status. There is no historical evidence of a limited print run or recall that would elevate this to uncommon or rare classification.
Issued in 1955 by the National Bank of Vietnam under the newly formed Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), this note reflects the nation's agrarian economy and aspirations for modernization in the immediate post-colonial period. The prominent tractor imagery on the obverse symbolizes agricultural development and mechanization—key themes in the nation-building rhetoric of the mid-1950s. The reverse's phoenix, a traditional symbol of renewal and rebirth in Vietnamese culture, reinforces themes of national regeneration following independence from French colonial rule.
The obverse features a central engraved scene of a farmer seated on a modernist tractor within a cultivated field, rendered in fine detail within a rectangular frame. This agricultural motif occupies the compositional center, flanked by ornate decorative cartouches containing the denomination '100' in the four corners. Intricate geometric and floral border patterns frame the entire design. The reverse presents a classical circular medallion containing a phoenix with spread wings amid stylized clouds and decorative swirls—a traditional Vietnamese symbol rendered in the refined engraving style characteristic of 1950s currency production. The overall design employs symmetrical, formal composition typical of post-war nationalist currency imagery.
FRONT: 'NGÂN-HÀNG QUỐC-GIA VIỆT-NAM' (National Bank of Vietnam); 'MỘT TRĂM ĐỒNG' (One Hundred Dong); 'TỔNG KIỂM-TRA' (General Inspector/Control); 'THƯ-QUỲ TRUNG-ƯƠNG' (Central Treasury); Serial number 'BB391899' (appearing in red at upper left and right). BACK: 'MỘT TRĂM ĐỒNG' (One Hundred Dong); 'HÌNH LUẬT PHÁT KHÓ SAI NHỮNG KỲ NÀO LÀM GIÃ MẠO GIẤY BẠC DO NGÂN-HÀNG QUỐC-GIA VIỆT-NAM PHÁT RA' (Legal penalty for counterfeiting banknotes issued by the National Bank of Vietnam).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving), evidenced by the sharp, precise fine-line work, extensive cross-hatching in background areas, and the dimensional quality of the ornamental flourishes visible throughout both sides. The crisp registration between design elements and the finely rendered detail work—particularly in the tractor scene and phoenix medallion—are characteristic of high-quality intaglio production typical of De La Rue or similar security printers of this era. The red serial numbers appear to be printed via a secondary pass, consistent with mid-20th century central bank currency production standards.
This specimen bears the serial number BB391899 in red ink—consistent with standard production of this series. The serial number prefix 'BB' is typical for notes in this range; variations in prefix letters (AA, BA, BB, etc.) exist across the issue. No significant varieties such as overprints, signature variations, or date changes are documented for Pick P-8. The note conforms to the standard design type with the tractor and phoenix imagery as described in the Pick catalog.
