In recent years, giving US$2 bill as lucky money has become a trend in Vietnam, as it is thought to bring good luck. As Tet, or Lunar New Year, draws near, many are willing to pay 60 times the bill’s value to get one.
“$2 bills are produced in small numbers compared to other kinds. Besides, two is a beautiful number in Asian conception. Many buy the bills to put inside their wallet or to give to friends for good luck,” said Nguyen Hang, who works for a big supermarket in Hanoi.
She said she had just reserved a spot to buy a US$2 note, which is worth VND2.5 million ($125).
“It’s not new, but what is special is that it was printed 50 years ago, and its last four digits are 4444. That’s how the value was added up,” she explained.
Hang said she bought the bill to congratulate her husband on advancing in years.
On some online forums, there have been several classifieds selling $2 bills.
Bills with four similar digits fetch at least VND2 million ($100) each, while three similar digits like 777 or 666 are sold for VND500,000 ($25) each.
The older the bill, the higher the value: $2 bills printed in 2003 are worth around VND50-60,000 ($2.5-3). Those produced in 1976 cost VND200-450,000 ($10-23), depending on whether they still look new or not.
“Last year, bills printed in 1976 fetched less than VND150,000 ($7.5), but this year they have doubled,” said Tung, who is selling two stacks of $2 bills in Ho Chi Minh City.
At money exchange booths in Hanoi, $2 bills are also the most sought after denomination. In Ha Trung or Nguyen Xi street, a new $2 bill costs VND52,000 ($2.5). If bought in great number, the price may go down to VND47-49,000 each.
Besides American bills, some Vietnamese also hunt for Zimbabwean notes. Available in Vietnamese market since 2009, these bills with more than nine digits have become a hot commodity. For VND60,000 ($3), one can buy from tens to hundreds of billion of Zimbabwean dollars and give them to friends and relatives with a hidden message: “May you become a billionaire next year”.
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