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25 Cents Military Payment Certificate
| Issuer | United States Department of Defense |
|---|---|
| Year | 1964 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 108 x 55 mm |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central vignette of a large '25' numeral set within an elaborate acanthus scroll and sunburst guilloche design in red-brown on a teal underprint. 'TWENTY FIVE' appears to the lower left and 'CENTS' to the lower right. A bottom panel carries the restriction legend in small letterpress text. |
| Reverse lettering | MILITARY PAYMENT CERTIFICATE 25 TWENTY FIVE CENTS FOR USE ONLY IN UNITED STATES MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS — BY UNITED STATES AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE RULES AND REGULATIONS. |
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| Comments |
Military Payment Certificates were issued exclusively to U.S. military personnel and authorized civilians overseas, replacing regular dollars to suppress black market currency trading — a persistent problem wherever American troops were stationed with hard cash in soft-currency economies. Series 641, introduced in July 1964, was designed from the outset to be replaced without warning. The sudden conversion days were classified in advance, meaning anyone holding MPCs who wasn't authorized — local nationals, black marketeers — was left with worthless paper overnight.
The 25-cent denomination saw heavy use in base canteens and PX facilities throughout Southeast Asia as U.S. involvement in Vietnam escalated.