This MPC has seen better days. My question is, "How bad IS it?" It is flimsy in the middle. My KP (Cuhaj, 12th edition) only has VF as the lowest grade. This has GOT to be lower than that. Please give me a grade and a value. [I'm doing links rather than inserting images because of the size AND CT's current problems with images.] http://www.dcderoo.com/MPC-f-30.jpg http://www.dcderoo.com/MPC-r-30.jpg
Can't help you with grade and value as I'm a sucker for all series of our gorgeous military script. It's like with women, I love them all and tend to overvalue them. From the images shown, it appears as though this script note was ridden hard and put away wet --- probably all the way from Korea, where it was originally issued. Love the minuteman, standing in the lower left corner. Even though Lady Liberty shows evidence of hard use, this is the type of militaria I hang onto as it documents a generally unknown portion of our military history. To a currency collector, it may have little value. To a military collector, this is a little gem. BTW, replicas [copies] of the Series 651 are being offered on sleazbay. It's an expensive proposition [plates and machinery?] to go through the motions of printing replicas. Indicates that someone believes military script is in demand and/or has collector value. Just a thought.
Now I'm puzzled. Series 651 was first issued in 1969. Within memory my only Korea connection was in 1954/55. And my Japan connection was in 1964/67. Best guess is that my father went TDY there in the 1969/71 time period. MPC was used in Japan for values $1 and up. For smaller values standard US coins were used.
I'm pretty sure thats the mpc we used in viet nam, can tell you what you could buy two of with it but that would be in bad taste (pun intended)
Kanga for a $10 that is one of the rather common ones. You can get a higher grade one for rather cheap not like other $10's that can break the bank. The one you have looks much like my first one of that series too and is still a keeper.
Hey Kanga here,s the dope on the note Series 651 $10 Issued: 4/28/69 Withdrawn: 5/19/69 Some of the whole values stayed around a little longer $1,s ,$5,s and $10,s and Some series were used in multiple locations causing a little confusion. 651 $10,s are very nice but rare not so much in recent years there has been alot discovered 65PPQ can be had for around $150 with the tears and generally poor condition I would grade this between Poor to VG with a realistic value of about $17-$20 as a dealer And a collector for many years, Thats what i would pay for it
Series 651 was not used in Vietnam but Series 641 which looks identical except for the color and was without the Minuteman vignette was used exclusively in Vietnam.
If by a "little longer" you mean four years, then the $1.00, $5.00 and $10.00 notes were issued for a little longer in Korea where they were withdrawn in November 1973. These were the last MPC to be withdrawn (Series 692 was withdrawn in Vietnam in March 1973). A complete pack of 100 $10.00 notes was saved from destruction by one of the destruction officers in Korea. That pack was bought by a dealer who had them all TPG'd and has been selling them on Ebay. This is where most of the 65PPQ notes have come from.
Kanga, understand you being somewhat puzzled. I'm still bouncing off the MPC learning curve myself. Find an answer to one question and two more questions arise to haunt you. From what I have been able to piece together, Series 651 replaced Series 611. Series 611 was used only in Korea. Series 651 was used in Korea, Japan and Libya, and with an issue date of 28APR69. Withdrawal dates were: Japan - 19MAY69, Libya - 11JAN69 and Korea - 19NOV73. Websites researched give differing issue and withdrawal dates for the Series 611 [can of worms, sort of] Most likely the withdrawal date would be the same as the Series 651 issue or change date [C-date]. Interesting about MPC use in Japan. Can you share any 'war stories' with us. Only time I spent in Japan was while the 707 was gulping fuel. They wanted the tanks topped off for a quick decent, pushed us out the door, load-up and raced down the runway towards freedom. Minimum ground time, 707s didn't digest in-coming gracefully. Snake, you remember well. $10 would get you two of them or two $10s would get you one of them. Are you suggesting that you squandered your hard earned combat pay getting both? I'll wager that you've got a passel of Saigon Tea stories to tell. Does your handle indicate that you served with the brown-water Navy or is it taken from your radio call-sign? The one I hated to surrender was Narrow Seadog Two Two. Miss squeezing the press-to-talk and saying --- This is Dog 2 2, hear you 5 by 5, now get those mucking gunships out here yesterday!!! Lettow, interesting about the 100-pack of $10s being save from destruction. Anybody have to chew gravel over this? MPCUSA, your magnificent collection must be a great source of pride for you. I'm overjoyed every time you share them with us. Good on you!
Mekong delta yacht club, 11/67-11/68. FNG for tet, how special! Sure did squander my mpc, every chance I got but did manage to send enough home to buy a 1960 corvette when I got back.
Heck with my wonky $10 MPC. Your "war stories" are a LOT more interesting. I was in the pre-Nam Army so don't have a history like yours. Fired the Garand in basic and was issued a Carbine later (3/61-3/64).
