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50000 Yuan
| Issuer | People's Bank of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 1950 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | First Rénmínbì (1949-1955) |
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| Obverse description | A vignette of the Tiananmen Gate in Beijing occupies the right portion of the note, rendered in fine line engraving with the gate's distinctive two-tiered roofline and courtyard visible. To the left, an ornate cartouche in brown intaglio bears the large Chinese numeral value 伍萬圓. The border consists of intricate guilloche patterns in purple and brown tones, with the bank name in Chinese characters across the top and the date 1950 along the lower margin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The central vignette depicts a tractor working an agricultural field, symbolizing post-revolutionary industrial and agrarian development, printed in olive-green and blue tones. Flanking the central scene are two large circular guilloche rosettes bearing the numeral value 50000 in bold serif type. The bank name in Chinese characters runs along the top margin, with the year 1950 displayed centrally at the base within a decorative scroll frame. |
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| Comments |
The first series Renminbi (第一套人民币) was issued from 1948 onward as Communist forces consolidated control of the mainland, with denominations escalating rapidly to accommodate the severe inflation inherited from the Nationalist period. By the time this 50,000 yuan note appeared in 1950, the series had reached its ceiling — this is the highest denomination of the entire first series, reflecting just how far purchasing power had collapsed before monetary stabilization could begin.
The series was demonetized in 1955 when the second series RMB replaced it at a conversion rate of 10,000 old yuan to 1 new yuan. First series notes were not preserved in quantity; official policy discouraged retention, and the high-denomination notes were the first surrendered.