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10 Xu Ho Chi Minh Trail Note; second issue
| Issuer | Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam |
|---|---|
| Year | 1968-1971 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Third northern đồng (1959-1978) |
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| Obverse description | Black letterpress numeral '10' at centre over an orange guilloche underprint with interlaced floral rosettes and horizontal band ornaments. The denomination '10' repeats in orange at lower left and right corners, flanked by geometric rosettes, with 'CU' in red at both lateral margins. A red serial number appears at bottom centre. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | 10 CU |
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| Comments |
The "Ho Chi Minh Trail notes" — coupons issued for use by military personnel and laborers along the supply corridor running through Laos and Cambodia — formed a parallel currency system entirely separate from the main North Vietnamese đồng. The second issue, running from 1968 to 1971, coincided with the most intense period of American bombing along the Trail, including Operations Rolling Thunder's final phase and the early Arc Light B-52 strikes targeting the route itself.
These coupons were not redeemable in the South and had no commercial exchange function. Circulation was essentially closed — issued, spent at military canteens and supply points, and recovered. Survivors reached the collector market primarily through veterans and, later, through postwar Vietnamese state sales.