20000 Vietnamese Dong Banknote (Type 1991)

20,000 Ðồng Dong (Issued 1991)

Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary leader and founding father of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, occupied a place of profound veneration in Vietnamese public life, and his portrait continued to appear on the nation’s banknotes long after his death in 1969 as a symbol of national unity and socialist pride. The 20,000 Dong note of 1991 was issued during a pivotal moment in Vietnam’s economic history, as the country navigated the sweeping Doi Moi reforms introduced in 1986 that began opening the economy to market forces. Featuring imagery of industrial labour alongside the revered image of Ho Chi Minh, the note expressed both ideological continuity and the state’s emphasis on collective productivity. Printed on paper rather than the polymer substrate that would later be adopted by the State Bank of Vietnam, this pre-polymer issue represents a distinct chapter in the visual and material history of Vietnamese currency.

On the front, the dominant feature is a finely engraved portrait of Ho Chi Minh, founder of the Vietnamese communist state and the most iconic figure in modern Vietnamese history, positioned to the right of centre against a pale blue background. His characteristic features — the high forehead, wispy beard, and calm, composed expression — are rendered with careful intaglio detail, giving the portrait a three-dimensional sculptural quality typical of high-security banknote printing of the era. The upper portion of the note bears the text in Latin script reading “Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam,” identifying the issuing state as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, set against a predominantly blue and violet background enriched with intricate guilloché patterning. Centrally placed beneath this heading is the Vietnamese state emblem — a circular seal featuring a red star above a cogwheel and rice sheaves — printed in blue and rendered with fine detail. The large denomination text in Latin script, reading “Hai Muoi Nghin Dong,” meaning twenty thousand dong, is set prominently in the centre of the note in bold lettering. The numeral “20,000” appears in large format at both the lower left and upper right corners. The serial number CD 4607996 is printed twice in red ink — once in the upper central area and once in the lower centre — providing a clear dual-reference identification system. The year 1991 is visible at the base of the note. The background colour transitions across the face from pale sky blue at the centre to deeper violet and indigo tones towards the borders, with elaborate geometric and floral patterning filling the margins on both left and right sides.

The reverse of the note is printed predominantly in shades of blue and violet, maintaining visual consistency with the front. The central vignette depicts a busy factory scene showing several workers — women wearing work caps — standing at a production line, handling what appear to be tin cans or cylindrical containers on a conveyor or assembly bench. The scene is engraved with considerable detail, capturing the machinery overhead, the industrial shelving or framework in the background, and the sense of collective labour activity. This image reflects the socialist-era emphasis on industrial productivity and the dignity of the working class. The text “Ngan Hang Nha Nuoc Viet Nam,” meaning State Bank of Vietnam, is printed in Latin script across the upper portion of the reverse. The denomination “20000” appears in numeral form in the upper right corner, and the text “Hai Muoi Nghin Dong” is repeated in Latin script across the lower centre. A decorative emblem incorporating a cross or starburst pattern in multicolour — featuring segments of green, red, yellow, and blue — appears to the right within the central panel, likely serving as a colour-shift or anti-counterfeiting device. The left and right margins feature dense ornamental borders with floral and geometric motifs engraved in the deep blue ink characteristic of intaglio security printing.

Sell foreign coins and banknotes the simple way: this 20,000 Dong banknote can be exchanged through Webuyallcurrency.com together with other old or withdrawn Vietnamese Dong banknotes, all settled in a single transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 20,000 Ðồng Dong banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com is a simple way to exchange or sell foreign coins and banknotes for cash — current or withdrawn — turning your Vietnamese Dong banknotes and any other leftover currency into one straightforward payout.

Other Vietnamese Dong you can exchange: 10, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 50000.