Laos – Sisavang Vong – 50 Cents – 1952 – Brilliant Uncirculated Aluminum – KM6

Burma – Banknotes of Unusual Denominations – 15,35, 45, 75, 90 Kyat – 1985 /1987 – CU – Folder & COA – Our money is like our math. Most world coins are in the same denominations: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100. Banknotes run to larger numbers, but almost always in multiples of 5 and 100. Money of other denominations looks odd to our eye; there is a reason $2 bills never caught on in the United States. That is what makes the denominations on these banknotes, all of them issued by the Union of Burma Bank from 1985 to 1987, so unusual: 15, 35, 45, 75 and strangest of all, 90 kyats. Odd though the numbers may appear, these were all actual legal tender issued in Burma. Why did the Burmese government eschew 20s and 50s for these bizarre issues? In 1985 when the first of these banknotes, the 75 kyat, was introduced, Burma was ruled by a megalomaniac dictator, Ne Win, who put more faith in astrology and numerology than he did in economics and finance. The 75 kyat note was intended to honor his 75th birthday. In 1986, the 15 and 35 kyat notes were issued. Extremely unpopular, all three were demonetized in 1988, along with larger issues, rendering 75 percent of the national currency worthless, crippling an already crippled economy, wiping out life savings of thousands of people and triggering at least one insurgency. Instead of solving the problem, Win made it worse: 45 and 90 kyat notes were issued—these were multiples of 9, which Wins numerologist assured him was a lucky number. At the age of lucky number 90, Ne Win was arrested. He died in prison in 2002. This set includes the following notes:15 kyats – Pick 62, 35 kyats – Pick 63, 45 kyats – Pick 64, 75 kyats – Pick 65 and 90 kyats – Pick 66. The notes come as shown in a descriptive folder with a Certificate of Authenticity.