100 Yuan - Hell Banknote

Hell banknotes — joss paper printed to resemble currency and burned as offerings during Chinese funerary rites — have been produced commercially for decades, but the late 1990s saw a notable escalation in their sophistication. This example from 冥都银行有限公司 mimics the aesthetic of contemporary PRC banknotes closely enough that Chinese customs authorities periodically seize shipments destined for overseas diaspora communities, citing concerns about counterfeiting confusion despite the obvious ritual context.

The "1999" date likely references either the year of manufacture or was chosen for its numerological resonance — in Cantonese-inflected folk belief, nine carries associations with longevity and the long road of the afterlife.