Catalog
2 1/2 Rupiah
| Issuer | Republik Indonesia, Governor of Bukittinggi, Sumatra |
|---|---|
| Year | 1947 |
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| Reference(s) | P#183 |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLIK INDONESIA PROPINSI SUMATERA 2½ DUA RUPIAH SETENGAH TANDA PEMBAJARAN JANG SAH GUBERNUR SUMATERA REPUBLIK INDONESIA |
| Reverse description | Reverse printed in brown, centred on a large diamond-shaped geometric frame enclosing the bold numeral 2½, surrounded by an elaborate foliate and scroll border in letterpress style. A small floral rosette appears at lower centre. Below the central frame, a multi-line Indonesian legal-tender text warns against counterfeiting with reference to the relevant presidential decree. |
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| Comments |
The Bukittinggi issues of 1947 are among the more administratively peculiar notes from Indonesia's independence period. When the Dutch reimposed control over Batavia and Java following the August 1945 proclamation, the Republican government relocated key functions to Sumatra — Bukittinggi in West Sumatra became a provisional capital of sorts, and local currency printing followed from sheer necessity rather than any centralized monetary plan.
These regional emergency notes were produced under improvised conditions and are frequently found with uneven ink coverage and rough-cut margins, which is a feature of production rather than post-issue damage. The 2½ denomination itself reflects the Dutch colonial reckoning still embedded in Indonesian monetary arithmetic at the time.