New 100k notes: plastic fantastic
 

17.08.04

VietNamNet

On September 1 the State Bank (SBV) will issue the new VND100,000 polymer banknote to protect against counterfeiting.

Aside from long standing security means, the new note will be protected from counterfeit by employing new tags, including the appearance of colourless, latent, luminescent and embossed images, which are easily for users to check while remaining almost impossible to counterfeit.

The new banknote is 144x65mm in size, and is green in colour. One face bears the Socialist Republic of Vietnam legend, along with the national insignia, a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, its face value of VND100,000 both written and numerical, along with traditional and modern patterns.

The reverse face bears the words State Bank of Vietnam, and a landscape picture of Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) – Quoc Tu Giam, its face value of VND100,000 both written and numerical, and traditional and modern patterns.

According to the SBV, the issuance of the new polymer banknotes is a double edge sword, fighting against counterfeit money and protecting against wear and tear. Polymer banknotes last significantly longer than their paper predecessors.

The outgoing VND100,000 notes have been the most prone to forgery of Vietnam’s monetary denominations. While becoming obsolete, the old brown banknotes will still retain their value when the new breed is released into the wild.

SBV recommendations:

The new polymer banknotes have enhanced endurance and remain cleaner than the old paper banknotes. However, the notes are not heat-resistant, and may be deformed by exposure to high temperatures.

SBV recommends the notes be kept flat, not folded, crumpled or creased. Crumpled banknotes can be smoothed out by a light pressing. Do not iron the polymer notes, as they will melt.