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5 Gulden Japanese Occupation
| Issuer | Japanese Government (大日本帝國政府) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 150 × 73 mm |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Green on yellow and pale lilac underprint. The reverse is dominated by an intricate guilloche design composed of dense lathe-work patterns framing a large central numeral '5', with two additional numeral '5' vignettes set within elaborate rosette medallions at the left and right extremities. A repeating ornamental border runs along the top and bottom edges. |
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| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Repeated kiri (paulownia) flowers; the watermark is sometimes not clearly discernible. |
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| Comments |
Issued under the Japanese Military Administration following the occupation of the Dutch East Indies in early 1942, this note was part of a broader currency program designed to displace Dutch colonial guilders and fund the occupation without drawing on Japan's own reserves. The series was nicknamed "Mickey Mouse money" by locals across occupied Southeast Asia — a term applied broadly to Japanese military scrip, reflecting the population's accurate assessment of its long-term value.
Redeemability was never guaranteed. After Japan's surrender in August 1945, the notes were declared worthless by the returning Dutch authorities, and enormous quantities were simply abandoned or destroyed. Surviving circulated examples from Indonesian archipelago use often show tropical humidity damage to the paper.