First series of the renminbi

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The first series of Renminbi banknotes was introduced during the Chinese Civil War by the newly founded People's Bank of China on December 1, 1948, ten months before the founding of the People's Republic of China itself. It was issued to unify and replace the various currencies of the communist-held territories as well as the currency of the Nationalist government. [1]

Contents

This series is also called "Old Currency", which 10,000 yuan is equal to 1 yuan of the 2nd series and later (called "New Currency").

Due to the turbulent political situation at the time, the first series is rather chaotic, with many versions issued for each denomination. The banknotes show a mixture of agricultural and industrial scenes, modes of transportation, and famous sites.

The notes were issued in 12 denominations: ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥20, ¥50, ¥100, ¥200, ¥500, ¥1,000, ¥5,000, ¥10,000 and ¥50,000, with a total of 62 designs. They were officially withdrawn on various dates between April 1, 1955, and May 10, 1955.

Some of these notes have words "Republic of China" on them to show the issuance year in the Republic of China Era. Though the PRC adopted the Common Era to replace the ROC Era in 1949 and have been avoiding using "Republic of China" in any possible circumstance, these notes were issued and used until 1955, when a revaluation of Reminbi took place.

List

¥1

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-1-1A.gif RMB1-1-1B.gif Workers and farmersFlower symbolJanuary 10, 1949
RMB1-1-2A.gif RMB1-1-2B.gif FactoryFlower ballAugust 1949

¥5

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-5-1A.gif RMB1-5-1B.gif ShepherdFlower symbolFebruary 23, 1949
RMB1-5-2A.gif RMB1-5-2B.gif SailboatFlower symbolJanuary 10, 1949
RMB1-5-3A.jpg RMB1-5-3B.jpg Cow and horse buggyFlower ballJuly 1949
RMB1-5-4A.gif RMB1-5-4B.gif SpinningFlower ballAugust 1949

¥10

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-10-1A.jpg RMB1-10-1B.jpg Irrigation field and mineFlower symbolDecember 1, 1948
RMB1-10-2A.jpg RMB1-10-2B.jpg Sawn timber and plowFlower symbolFebruary 23, 1949
RMB1-10-3A.gif RMB1-10-3B.gif Railway StationFlower symbolMay 25, 1949
RMB1-10-4A.jpg RMB1-10-4B.jpg Workers and farmersTempleAugust 1949

¥20

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-20-1A.jpg RMB1-20-1B.jpg Donkey and trainBig flower ballDecember 1, 1948
RMB1-20-2A.jpg RMB1-20-2B.jpg Coal mines carFlower symbolFebruary 23, 1949
RMB1-20-3A.jpg RMB1-20-3B.jpg Longevity Hill of Summer Palace Flower symbolJuly 1949
RMB1-20-4A.jpg RMB1-20-4B.jpg Working areaFlower ballAugust 1949
RMB1-20-5A.jpg RMB1-20-5B.jpg Train and sailboatFlower ballAugust 1949
RMB1-20-6A.jpg RMB1-20-6B.jpg FieldFlower ballSeptember 1949
RMB1-20-7A.jpg RMB1-20-7B.jpg Longevity Hill of Summer Palace Flower ballOctober 1949

¥50

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-50-1A.jpg RMB1-50-1B.jpg Donkey and tubFlower symbolDecember 1, 1948
RMB1-50-2A.jpg RMB1-50-2B.jpg Train and bridgeCarFebruary 10, 1949
RMB1-50-3A.jpg RMB1-50-3B.jpg June 10, 1949
RMB1-50-4A.jpg RMB1-50-4B.jpg Workers and farmersFlower symbolAugust 1949
RMB1-50-5A.jpg RMB1-50-5B.jpg RailwayFlower symbolMarch 20, 1949
RMB1-50-6A.jpg RMB1-50-6B.jpg RollerCarriageOctober 3, 1949
RMB1-50-7B.jpg RMB1-50-7A.jpg RailwayFlower symbolApril 1949

¥100

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-100-1A.jpg RMB1-100-1B.jpg Arable land and factoryFlower symbolJanuary 10, 1949
RMB1-100-2A.jpg RMB1-100-2B.jpg Railway station and roadFlower symbolFebruary 5, 1949
RMB1-100-3A.jpg RMB1-100-3B.jpg Longevity Hill of Summer Palace TrainFebruary 5, 1949
RMB1-100-4A.jpg RMB1-100-4B.jpg FactoryFlower symbolMarch 20, 1949
RMB1-100-5A.jpg RMB1-100-5B.jpg Beihai BridgeFlower symbolMarch 25, 1949
RMB1-100-6A.jpg RMB1-100-7B.jpg July 1949
RMB1-100-7A.jpg RMB1-100-7B.jpg Ship bridgeLarge flower standAugust 1949
RMB1-100-8A.jpg RMB1-100-8B.jpg Donkey teamFlower symbolNovember 5, 1949
RMB1-100-9A.jpg RMB1-100-9B.jpg Longevity Hill of Summer Palace TrainMarch 20, 1949
RMB1-100-10A.gif RMB1-100-10B.gif SailboatFlower symbolJanuary 20, 1950

¥200

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-200-2A.gif RMB1-200-2B.gif Summer Palace Flower symbolMarch 20, 1949
RMB1-200-1A.gif RMB1-200-1B.gif Pai Yundian (排云殿)Flower symbolMay 8, 1949
RMB1-200-3A.gif RMB1-200-3B.gif Great Wall of China Flower symbolAugust 1949
RMB1-200-4A.gif RMB1-200-4B.gif Steel factoryFlower symbolSeptember 1949
RMB1-200-5A.gif RMB1-200-5B.gif Cut riceFlower symbolOctober 20, 1949

¥500

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-500-1A.gif RMB1-500-1B.gif VillageFlower symbolSeptember 10, 1949
RMB1-500-2A.gif RMB1-500-2B.gif Zhengyang Gate Flower symbolSeptember 10, 1949
RMB1-500-3A.gif RMB1-500-3B.gif CraneFlower symbolOctober 3, 1949
RMB1-500-4A.gif RMB1-500-4B.gif HarvesterFlower symbolOctober 20, 1949
RMB1-500-5A.gif RMB1-500-5B.gif FarmingFlower symbolApril 1, 1951
RMB1-500-6A.gif RMB1-500-6B.gif Zhandeng City (瞻德城)Flower symbol with Uyghur charactersOctober 1, 1951

¥1,000

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-1000-1A.gif RMB1-1000-1B.gif Arable land Temple of Heaven September 11, 1949
RMB1-1000-2A.gif RMB1-1000-2B.gif HarvestFlower symbolOctober 3, 1949
RMB1-1000-3A.gif RMB1-1000-3B.gif Three tractorsCut wheatNovember 15, 1949
RMB1-1000-4A.gif RMB1-1000-4B.gif Carts and plowingShipDecember 23, 1949
RMB1-1000-5A.gif RMB1-1000-5B.gif Qiantang River Bridge Flower ballJanuary 20, 1950
RMB1-1000-6A.gif RMB1-1000-6B.gif WranglerFlower symbol with Uyghur charactersOctober 1, 1951

¥5,000

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-5000-1A.gif RMB1-5000-1B.gif CultivatorFlower symbolJanuary 20, 1950
RMB1-5000-2A.gif RMB1-5000-2B.gif FactoryFlower ballJanuary 20, 1950
RMB1-5000-3A.gif RMB1-5000-3B.gif CamelsFlower symbol with Mongolian charactersMay 17, 1951
RMB1-5000-4A.gif 195110015000YuanO.gif ShepherdFlower symbol with Uyghur charactersOctober 1, 1951
RMB1-5000-5A.gif RMB1-5000-5B.gif Wei River Railway BridgeFlower symbolSeptember 25, 1953

¥10,000

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-10000-1A.gif RMB1-10000-1B.gif ShipFlower symbolJanuary 20, 1950
RMB1-10000-2A.gif RMB1-10000-2B.gif Arable landGrazing cattle and sheepJanuary 20, 1950
RMB1-10000-3A.gif RMB1-10000-3B.gif WranglerFlower symbol with Mongolian charactersMay 17, 1951
RMB1-10000-4A.gif RMB1-10000-4B.gif CamelsFlower symbol with Uyghur charactersOctober 1, 1951

¥50,000

ImageObverseReverseDate of issue
RMB1-50000-1A.gif RMB1-50000-1B.gif Xinhua Gate TractorDecember 1953
RMB1-50000-2A.gif RMB1-50000-2B.gif HarvesterProduceDecember 1953

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References

  1. "背景资料:中国已发行五套人民币 货币历史悠久". China New Service. August 10, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2015.