Comments on: Show me the money

By: gina

gina — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:27:53 +0000

Speaking of countries that like to use currencies for political propaganda, did you know they are coming up with a new penny? There are two choices of “scenes from Lincoln’s life.” Just a completely random thought also to add: I find it interesting that in China, anything over 1 yuan has a picture of Mao on it (the smaller bills representing money less than a dollar have minorities or peasants on them). In America, however, our greatest “heroes” are on our smaller bills; George Washington on the 1 dollar bill is much more important to our country’s national spirit and identity than Hamilton (at least that was what I was taught in school…)

By: Asian History Carnival #20 1/2 | Jottings from the Granite Studio

Asian History Carnival #20 1/2 | Jottings from the Granite Studio — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:34:03 +0000

[...] want to pay their bar tab with Li Bai embossed 20-yuan notes? Frog in a Well jumped on board with great post showing how currency designers in recent history have tended to favor political figures. And from [...]

By: David

David — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:39:51 +0000

“To the extent you do get symbols of Traditional China on Chinese money they tend to be abstract and cleaned up by a connection to nationalism”

One fairly consistent ‘traditional’ symbol- even going into the Communist notes- are the images of metal coins in the corners. I stole that observation from Beth Nolar (“Viewing Currency ‘Chaos’: Paper Money for Advertising, Ideology and Resistance in Republican China.” In Terry Bodenhorn, ed. Defining Modernity: Guomindang Rhetorics of a New China, 1920-1970. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2002, 123-149), who sees it as a way of making sure that paper money is taken seriously as money- particularly when different currencies, often by political and military rivals, were circulating.

By: michael

michael — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:01:11 +0000

I’ve got one to add to the collection: http://china.notspecial.org/archives/2008/06/xinjiang_1941.html

By: China Journal : Best of the China Blogs: June 10

China Journal : Best of the China Blogs: June 10 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:20:08 +0000

[...] for the history buffs (and currency lovers): a colorful collection of Chinese paper money over the last hundred or so years. [Frog in a [...]

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:45:47 +0000

Thanks for the educational review. I grew up using currencies post 1976. Of course you can buy alot of stuff with 10 Yuan back then. I would say in the 70s with 10 Yuan you can go on a shopping spree. Now I think you need 1000 Yuan to do the same.

By: Alan Baumler

Alan Baumler — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:26:18 +0000

Zhwj,

I think it was just a special issue. I know I never saw one. Plus it makes Mao look way too human for day to day use.

By: zhwj

zhwj — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:11:38 +0000

Did that 50th Anniversary 50-yuan note with Mao on the rostrum ever circulate? It's much more attractive than the 5th series version.