200 Vietnamese Dong Banknote (Type 1987)

200 Ðồng Dong (Issued 1987)

Few pre-reform Vietnamese banknotes capture the economic transition of the late 1980s as vividly as this 1987 200 Dong issue, printed on traditional paper stock before the later adoption of polymer substrates. A currency expert would immediately notice the dual-authority typography, with the state constitutional title appearing on the obverse and the State Bank designation reserved for the reverse — a deliberate institutional distinction rarely discussed in general circulation guides. The serial prefix “GA” alongside the seven-digit number 1557950 marks this as an identifiable print run within a broader series produced during Vietnam’s Doi Moi economic reform period. The note’s continued collectability among students of Southeast Asian monetary history owes much to its vivid agricultural iconography and its portrait of Ho Chi Minh, the founding leader of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

On the front, the dominant feature is an engraved portrait of Ho Chi Minh positioned to the right of centre, rendered with fine intaglio-style line work that captures his characteristic thin beard and calm expression. The portrait is executed in warm brown tones against a pale background, with crosshatched shading giving depth to the face and collar. To the left of centre, the large numeral “200” is printed in a bold red-brown ink on the left margin, while a second, more decorative rendering of “200” appears in the central field, surrounded by delicate guilloché rosette patterns in pale lavender and cream. The state emblem of Vietnam — a circular device featuring a five-pointed gold star at its centre, surrounded by a wreath of rice stalks and bearing Latin script text reading “Viet Nam” at its base — appears to the left of the central denomination. Above the design, Latin-alphabet text reads “Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam,” identifying the issuing state as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Beneath the central guilloché field, the denomination is expressed in two lines of bold Latin-alphabet text: “HAI TRAM” on the upper line and “DONG” below it, both printed in deep reddish-brown. The year “1987” appears within a small ornamental cartouche in the lower left corner. The serial number “GA 1557950” is printed in red across the upper central area. The overall colour palette of the obverse combines pale cream and lavender background tints with warm brown and red-brown ink, creating a layered visual effect supported by fine geometric border patterns running along all four edges.

The reverse is dominated by a large central engraving depicting an agricultural scene rendered in warm reddish-brown ink on a pale cream and light green ground. A heavy-duty wheeled tractor occupies the foreground to the right of centre, drawn in detailed intaglio line work that emphasises its large rear wheels, engine housing, and attached rear implement. Behind and to the left, a broad, flat agricultural landscape extends into the distance, with several human figures visible working in the fields, their forms suggested through fine engraving. The overall composition evokes mechanised collective farming — a common visual motif in Vietnamese socialist-era currency design. In the upper central area, Latin-alphabet text reads “Ngan Hang Nha Nuoc Viet Nam,” identifying the issuing authority as the State Bank of Vietnam. The denomination “200” appears in the upper right corner and again in larger format in the lower left, accompanied by the text “HAI TRAM” and “DONG” in bold brown lettering. The border design incorporates ornate geometric and scroll-pattern elements at each corner, with a particularly detailed decorative panel in the upper left combining lattice and floral motifs. The reverse palette is lighter than the obverse, relying on pale olive-green and cream background tints with reddish-brown engraving throughout.

Exchange foreign coins and notes with no fuss: Webuyallcurrency.com accepts this 200 Dong banknote and other old or withdrawn Vietnamese Dong banknotes, paying out for everything together in a single transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 200 Ðồng Dong banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com helps you exchange old coins and banknotes with no fuss, combining your Vietnamese Dong banknotes with other foreign currency into a single, hassle-free cash exchange.

Other Vietnamese Dong you can exchange: 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000.