Military Payment Certificate

[bmsm]

This is the type of money we used to use in Vietnam. We called it "funny money" as it looked like Monopoly money. This is a series 641, Five cent bill used from 31-8-1965 to 21-10-1968.

Bob

[bigjarofwasps]

Interest!!! Was this printed locally or shiped over from the US?

[bmsm]

Interest!!! Was this printed locally or shiped over from the US?

Thie above series of Military Certificates was printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. The earlier series certificates used from 1946-1961 were printed by Tudor Press Inc., Boston, Massachusetts and Forbes Lithograph Corp., Boston, Massachusetts. After 1961, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing printed the MPC's.

While I was in Vietnam, we had what was called a conversion day. All persons were restricted to their Base or compound and new MPC was issued. After that day, the old series of MPC was worthless.

Bob

[bigjarofwasps]

While I was in Vietnam, we had what was called a conversion day. All persons were restricted to their Base or compound and new MPC was issued. After that day, the old series of MPC was worthless.

Bob

Hi Bob, yeh I seem to remember this happening in a episode of M*A*S*H.

Gordon.

[Oiva]

Gents; I well remember the switch over of the MPC notes in 1968. I had the misfortuntion of being the Pay Office of my Company, being the new " butter bar" , who was give that additional duty! The Viet barber was trying to get G.I.s to switch over a hugh amount of the now invalid MPC notes for a cut, but was caught by me and my assistant. So much for the blackmarket profits. A interesting note is that merchant seamen were paid in greenbacks and there was a hugh illegal market for them. Regards, Oiva

Edited April 11, 2010 by Oiva

[peter monahan]

Gents; I well remember the switch over of the MPC notes in 1968. I had the misfortuntion of being the Pay Office of my Company, being the new " butter bar" , who was give that additional duty! The Viet barber was trying to get G.I.s to switch over a hugh amount of the now invalid MPC notes for a cut, but was caught by me and my assistant. So much for the blackmarket profits. A interesting note is that merchant seamen were paid in greenbacks and there was a hugh illegal market for them. Regards, Oiva

I spent 1978-1980 in Nigeria, West Africa and just after I arrived the government switched over the entire currency of the country, with something like a 90 day period to hit the bank and, if you were very very lucky, get new bills for old. There were severe currency controls: no 'naira' to be exported and all foreign currency to be switched for naira within 30 days of arriving in country.

Both laws were widely ignored and I recall that the crash of an entire plane load of Naira in a neighbouring country was the proximate cause of the change. I also recall being offered the old naira for weeks and months after by little old market women who hadn't got the word in time. They tended to have been folded 10-15 times and tucked into clothing for security, so they usually looked like sweaty lace doilies. Yuck!

Edited April 15, 2010 by peter monahan

[bmsm]

Here are two more MPC's. The top ten cent bill was used from 27-5-1958 to 26-5-1961 and the bottom twenty-five cent note was used from 20-6-1951 to 25-5-1954.

Bob