1980 China 1 Yuan – Ethnic Unity & Early Reform‑Era Identity
Pick# 884 | Issued by the People’s Bank of China (中國人民銀行 / 中国人民银行)
First printed with the 1980 date but not released into circulation until 1988, the 1 Yuan note from China’s Fourth Series of the Renminbi captures the early spirit of the country’s reform era. This banknote reflects China’s emphasis on ethnic diversity, national cohesion, and cultural heritage at a time when the nation was opening to the world and reshaping its economic future.
Although a low‑denomination note used heavily in daily transactions, the 1980 1 Yuan stands out for its elegant engraving, multilingual inscriptions, and symbolic imagery. It remains one of the most recognizable and widely collected notes of modern China.
Design Highlights
Obverse
Printed in brown‑violet over a multicolour guilloche underprint, the front of the note features:
Portraits of Dong and Yao youths at right, representing two of China’s officially recognized ethnic minorities
National Emblem of the People’s Republic of China at upper left
Stylized birds in the underprint, adding movement and texture
Braille dot at lower left for accessibility
Text in simplified Chinese and Braille
Lettering (Chinese & Braille): 中国人民银行 ⠂ 壹圆
Translation: The People’s Bank of China One Yuan
Reverse
The reverse is printed in dark red on a multicolour underprint and features:
The Great Wall of China at centre — a symbol of endurance, unity, and national pride
One of the most linguistically diverse inscriptions on any modern banknote, including:
Traditional Chinese & seal script
Latin alphabet
Mongolian / Manchu
Old Uyghur
Tibetan
Lettering (multilingual): ZHONGGUO RENMIN YINHANG YI YUAN ᠳᠤᠮᠳᠠᠳᠤ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ ᠤᠨ ᠠᠷᠠᠳ ᠤᠨ ᠪᠠᠩᠬᠢ ཀྲུང་གོམི་མི་རྣམས་དངུལ་ཁང་། جۇڭگو خەلق بانكىسى بىر يۈەن Cuŋhgoz Yinzminz Yinzhaŋz it mənz
Translation: The People’s Bank of China — One Yuan
Watermark
1980–1990 printings: Repeated Ancient Pu (pants) coin watermark
1996 printing: Repeated five‑star watermark
(The 1980 note uses the Ancient Pu coin watermark.)
Specifications
Attribute Details
Country People’s Republic of China
Issuing Bank People’s Bank of China
Period People’s Republic (1949–present)
Type Standard circulation banknote
Years 1980–1996
Value 1 Yuan (1元, 壹圓)
Currency Renminbi
Composition Paper
Size 140 × 63 mm
Shape Rectangular
Issued 10 May 1988 (first release of 1980‑dated notes)
Demonetized 30 April 2019
Reference P# 884
Watermark Ancient Pu coib (1980–1990)
Historical Notes
Although dated 1980, this note did not enter circulation until 10 May 1988.
The 1990 edition was released on 1 March 1995.
The 1996 edition (with star watermark) was issued on 1 April 1997.
Withdrawal of the Fourth Series began 1 May 2018, with final exchange ending 30 April 2019.
Why Add the 1980 1 Yuan to Your Collection?
This note is ideal for collectors interested in:
Modern Chinese currency
Ethnic portraiture and cultural symbolism
Multilingual banknote design
Early reform‑era economic history
Iconic Chinese landmarks such as the Great Wall
The 1980 1 Yuan combines cultural representation, historical significance, and widespread circulation into a single, beautifully engraved piece of China’s late‑20th‑century identity. It remains one of the most accessible yet meaningful notes from the Fourth Series.
