Vietnam occupies the eastern and southern part of the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia, with the South China Sea along its entire coast. China is to the north and Laos and Cambodia are to the west. Long and narrow on a north-south axis, Vietnam is about twice the size of Arizona. The Mekong River delta lies in the south. ENJOY!!

Languages: Vietnamese, English, French, Chinese, Khmer
Religions: Buddhist, Roman Catholic, Hoa Hao, Protestant, Islam
Status: UN Country 1977
Dong: Vietnamese: đong - literally "copper" or "bronze", in modern Vietnamese Dong means "currency".

Today's note is a 1966 issue 100 Dong from South Viet Nam. The value of this note in UNC condition is $15.00. There is no exchange rate, they are obsolete. Some of you may actually remember handling these notes during your vacation Uncle Sam gave you when you were young.

(Front) Marshal Le Van Duyet in national costume at left and as watermark. (Back) The Le Van Duyet Temple at lower right.

Note: Dedicated to Marshal Le Van Duyet (1763-1831), the Le Van Duyet Temple is also his burial place as well as that of his wife's. The marshal was a South Vietnamese general and viceroy who helped put down the Tay Son Rebellion and reunify Vietnam. When the Nguyen dynasty came to power in 1802, he was elevated by Emperor Gia Long to the rank of marshal. Le Van Duyet fell into disfavour with Gia Long's successor, Minh Mang, who tried him posthumously and desecrated his grave. Emperor Thieu Tri, who succeeded Minh Mang, restored the tomb, thus fulfilling a prophesy of its destruction and restoration. Le Van Duyet was considered a national hero in the South before 1975, but is disliked by the communists because of his involvement in the expansion of French influence.