100000 Vietnamese Dong Banknote (Type 1994)

100,000 Ðồng Dong (Issued 1994)

By the early 1990s, the State Bank of Vietnam was navigating the profound economic transformations brought about by the Doi Moi reform programme, which had shifted the country away from a centrally planned economy towards a more market-oriented system. The banking infrastructure was undergoing significant restructuring, with the State Bank asserting its role as a central monetary authority distinct from the commercial banking functions it had previously combined. High-denomination notes such as this 100,000 Dong issue reflected the inflationary pressures that had accumulated through the late 1980s, necessitating larger face values in everyday circulation. This pre-polymer paper issue preceded the later introduction of polymer substrate notes, making it a transitional piece within Vietnamese monetary history.

On the front, the note is dominated by a finely engraved portrait of Ho Chi Minh, the founding President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the central revolutionary figure of modern Vietnamese history, positioned to the right of centre within an oval frame rendered in warm peach and orange tones with detailed intaglio shading. Ho Chi Minh is depicted facing slightly to the left, wearing a high-collared light tunic, with his characteristic thin beard clearly visible. The background behind the portrait features radiating guilloché line work in soft purple and rose tones, creating a sunburst effect that extends across the central field of the note. To the upper left, the national emblem of Vietnam — a circular device featuring a five-pointed yellow star above a cog and rice stalks — is printed in green and yellow. Across the upper portion of the note, Latin-script text reads the full state name in Vietnamese, and to the left, the denomination numeral 100000 appears in a rectangular panel in dark purple. The central field carries bold Latin-script text stating the denomination in words across two lines, with the currency unit name below in a larger typeface. The serial number CA 7228955 appears twice on the note — once in red in the upper central area and once in black towards the lower left — both in a clear upright typeface. A security thread is embedded within the paper, visible as a dark vertical stripe running through the note. The lower right corner shows the year 1994 in small numerals. The overall colour palette blends deep purple, mauve, peach, and cream, with the border composed of ornate scroll and floral guilloché patterns in dark purple running along all four edges.

The reverse is printed predominantly in deep plum and dark brown tones across an intricate guilloché background. The central vignette depicts a traditional Vietnamese stilt house set within a lush landscape, surrounded by mature palm trees and tropical foliage, with a calm reflecting pool or waterway in the foreground crossed by a low wooden bridge or walkway. The building, rendered in fine line engraving, is recognisable as the Presidential Palace stilt house — the modest wooden residence associated with Ho Chi Minh on the grounds of the Presidential Palace complex in Hanoi. To the upper portion of the reverse, Latin-script text identifies the issuing authority. The denomination numeral 100000 appears in the upper right corner in dark type. To the left, an ornate cartouche contains the denomination written out in words across multiple lines in Latin script, surrounded by detailed scroll ornament. To the right of centre, a multicoloured security device in blue and yellow featuring a yin-yang style circular motif provides a vivid contrast against the dark background. In the lower right corner, an elaborate engraved mythological bird — rendered in fine detail with a long decorative tail and ornamental plumage — is set against a stylised wave pattern, adding further decorative complexity to the composition. The border is composed of continuous guilloché scroll work in dark plum tones consistent with the front design.

Wondering who buys foreign coins and notes? Webuyallcurrency.com does — a 100,000 Dong banknote like this is accepted alongside other old or withdrawn Vietnamese Dong banknotes, so you can exchange the lot for cash at once.

• Indicate the quantity of 100,000 Ðồng Dong banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

If you have leftover currency to exchange, Webuyallcurrency.com accepts Vietnamese Dong banknotes and a wide range of other foreign coins and notes, paying out for the lot in a single straightforward transaction.

Other Vietnamese Dong you can exchange: 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000.