Chinese Banknote Error

[PurgatoryPilgrim]

I'm trying to figure out a Chinese banknote that I picked up at an antique store recently. I have been collecting banknotes for years, but I'm still a complete amature, basically just buying bills that are cheap and look interesting. I know nothing. I just enjoy looking at them and learning the history and geography that is represented on them.

 

But this banknote seems like it might be somewhat unique. The letters, "SHANGHAI" are printed backwards;"IAHGNAHS." (see attchment) Is this unusual? Or is it a common error? I'm assuming that the name of the bank was stamped onto the note after printing and that someone loaded the stamp incorrectly.

[PurgatoryPilgrim]

See this banknote at http://www.holdread.com/100yuan.htmlVisit My Website

 

I'm trying to figure out a Chinese banknote that I picked up at an antique store recently. I have been collecting banknotes for years, but I'm still a complete amature, basically just buying bills that are cheap and look interesting. I know nothing. I just enjoy looking at them and learning the history and geography that is represented on them.

 

But this banknote seems like it might be somewhat unique. The letters, "SHANGHAI" are printed backwards;"IAHGNAHS." (see attchment) Is this unusual? Or is it a common error? I'm assuming that the name of the bank was stamped onto the note after printing and that someone loaded the stamp incorrectly.

[Dave M]

I don't know anything about it, but that's pretty cool. Looks like Pick 120c.

 

Dave

[Dave]

Purgatory Pilgrim -

 

For the most definitive answer, our member Chinnotes may be the best person, as he is the most knowlegable person here on Chinese notes. From what he told me about a note I have with a single backwards 'G', and odd sounding words, there were printers who had no-one who had any English language skills, and they simply tried their best to emulate englich to make their notes appear to have more validity with the issuing banks. This is likely the cause, but I would recommend you PM him for verification. I've seen many bills with the Shanghai overprint done properly, so this may be a true error, especially if there are very few of them printed and others of this series printed correctly. This is the first time I've seen this particular error, though. Cool note!

[ccg]

I'm going to give it the thumbs down as the font on the overprint is inconsistent with those on other denominations.

 

The font should be much taller, and the printing should be crisp, not fuzzy / ink bleeding.

 

credit: ccg

 

credit: RodgerC130

[chinnotes]

Well, I believe I know what it is. Such notes are mentioned in Chinese literature. But to be absolutely sure I need to see the front of the note. So if PurgatoryPilgrim would please provide me with a picture of the front. Either here or by e-mail (Pornpattana.Beyer@yahoo.de). As soon as I see the front of the note I can give my opinion here...

 

Erwin

[indianbanknoteman]

I'm trying to figure out a Chinese banknote that I picked up at an antique store recently. I have been collecting banknotes for years, but I'm still a complete amature, basically just buying bills that are cheap and look interesting. I know nothing. I just enjoy looking at them and learning the history and geography that is represented on them.

 

But this banknote seems like it might be somewhat unique. The letters, "SHANGHAI" are printed backwards;"IAHGNAHS." (see attchment) Is this unusual? Or is it a common error? I'm assuming that the name of the bank was stamped onto the note after printing and that someone loaded the stamp incorrectly.

ITS PRINTERS MAGIC NEGATIVE POSITVE OVERPRINT WHEN INK WAS WET maybe forgery ?????

indianbanknotes.blogspot.com

[chinnotes]

Well, although I did not yet see a picture of the front of the note, I will give here the explanation as assumed by me:

The basic note comes with several place names (Chinese on front, Engl. on back). Amongst these are Chongqing (“CHUNGKING” on the note) and Shanghai. As can be seen from the serial no., the note pictured here (A876021) should be from Chongqing (“CHUNGKING”). I have seen hundreds of such notes, all notes having a serial number beginning with A… had the location “CHUNGKING”. (there exist also “CHUNGKING” notes w/o a prefix letter, but if the no. has "A" as a prefix, it invariably has "CHUNGKING" as place name).

So somebody must have eradicated the original location “CHUNGKING” and has changed it to “SHANGHAI”. For doing so, he has possibly prepaired a kind of stamp. Maybe of wood, or rubber. He may have carved out “SHANGHAI” on the stamp, not thingking of the fact that when stamping the letters are reversed. In those times only few Chinese knew our alphabet. Or he wrote the letters by hand, and as the Chinese script in those days was written from right to left he wrote the letters from right to left, beginning with "I"

What was the (most probable) reason for changing the name “CHUNGKING” to “SHANGHAI”? Well, all 100 yuan note bear red seals on their front, that means the notes were –inspite of their given date “1914”- issued after Nov. 1928. And they were still in use in 1938. At this time Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese, and the government of Tschiang Kaicheck had retreated to Chongqing. Chongqing was declared temporary capital of China. Notes with “Shanghai” were only redeemable (or exchangeable against the notes issued by the Japanese) in Shanghai, whereas notes with “Chungking” could be used only in the region covered by the Kuomintang and/or communists under Mao Tsetung. I assume somebody in Shanghai had for whatever reason a note with “Chungking” and naturally wanted to use it. So he changed (or tried to change) its place name and the error in writing happened...

That is the story behind this note. In Chinese literature there are several such notes (from several banks) with forged overprint mentioned.

Erwin

[ccg]

Very interesting and informative - great post!