North Vietnam 1975 2 xu
This specimen was lot 865 in Stephen Album internet sale 28 (Santa Rosa, CA, July 2024), where it sold for $570. The catalog description[1] noted, "VIET NAM (NORTH): 2 xu, 1975, thin planchet variety, an attractive example, PCGS graded MS62, ex Howard A. Daniel III Collection." The SCWC notes that this coin was "Issued very briefly, prior to unification." The đồng was divided into 100 xu but even in 1975, this coin was unlikely to be useful. It has been said that North Vietnam won the war but lost the peace; the regime's mismanagement of the postwar economy caused the đồng to tumble from 410/dollar (1970) to 6,500/dollar (1990). At present (July 2024), US$1 = 25,407 đồng. Coins did not circulate much in communist Vietnam and now they don't circulate at all.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 0.9 g, aluminum, 18 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-A11.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Internet Auction 28, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
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