100 Dong (front) / 2000 Dong (back) VND #561

Front

The One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột) in Hanoi, one of Vietnam's most iconic Buddhist temples. Originally built in 1049 during the Lý Dynasty by Emperor Lý Thái Tông, it was designed to resemble a lotus blossom rising from the water. The structure was destroyed by French forces in 1954 and rebuilt by the North Vietnamese government, and it remains a symbol of Vietnamese cultural heritage and resilience.

Back

Hồ Chí Minh (1890–1969), Vietnamese revolutionary leader, communist politician, and founding father of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). He served as Prime Minister (1945–1955) and President (1945–1969) of North Vietnam and led the Việt Minh independence movement. His image has appeared on virtually all Vietnamese banknotes since reunification in 1976, making him the most honoured figure in Vietnamese currency.

History

This presents a significant cataloguing challenge: the front displays '100 ĐỒNG' with 'MỘT TRĂM ĐỒNG' (one hundred dong) and the One Pillar Pagoda, while the back displays '2000' with 'HAI NGHÌN ĐỒNG' (two thousand dong) and Hồ Chí Minh's portrait. This mismatch indicates either: (1) a mismatched pair where two different notes have been photographed together, (2) a composite/fantasy note, or (3) an error note. Legitimate Vietnamese banknote series do not feature different denominations on front versus back. The State Bank of Vietnam has issued numerous series since the 1980s featuring Hồ Chí Minh on the obverse with various cultural and economic scenes on the reverse, but with matching denominations. Serial number 'AK 8024531' visible on the back. Without being able to verify this as a legitimate issue, Pick number assignment would be speculative.